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^ETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 



I University Exteosion Series No. 17 



General Series No. 95 



University of Washington 




University Extension Division 



A Survey 

ofthe 

Port Townsend Public Schools 

under the direction of 

HERBERT G. LULL, PH. D. 

Professor in the College of Education 
University of Washington 



SEATTLE 

Published by the University 

August, 1915 



Entered •■ aecond data matter at Seattle, nnder the act of July IS. 1894 



University of Washington 

University Extension Division 

EDWIN A. START, Director 



The purpose of the Extension Division ot the University of Washington 
is to malce the instruction and resources of the University more available 
and more servlceabie to tl»e whole state. It has charge of all work of the 
University outside of the campus that is not otherwise provided for. The 
worl£ of the Division is organized in three departments: 

I. DEJPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION 

Through this department of the Extension Division teaching is done 
by university instructors, through correspondence or classes held at centers 
outside the campus. Courses are thus offered in Astronomy, Botany (in- 
cluding teachers' courses in agriculture and horticulture), Business, Chem- 
istry, Economics, Education, Engineering (ci\'il and mechanical) » English, 
Forestry, French, Geology, German, Greek, History, Home Economics, Jour- 
nalism, Latin, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, and Spanish. Detailed in- 
formation in regard to all of this work is contained in a number of circulars 
of information, one or all of which vrill be sent on request to anyone. 

II. DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE 

This department Includes a number of bureaus the purpose of which 
is to utilize the resources of the University as completely as possible for 
the general good of the state. The following are organized: 

BUREAU OF MUNICIPAL. RESEARCH. Herman G. A. Braner, 
chief. The purpose of this bureau is to render expert assistance to 
municipal officers of the state through investigation and information 
upon legislative and administrative questions. This involves a vride cor- 
respondence and the assembling of a classified collection of the most recent 
material relating to the problems of legislation and administration. A 
circular of information in regard to this work is published. 

BUREAU OP DEBATE AND DISCUSSION. L>eo Jones, chief. This bu- 
reau is engaged in the promotion of public discussion of Important ques- 
tions. "A Manual for Debaters" and several outlines for debate have been 
published, much special materia] has been prepared, and package libraries 
of reference material are loaned to organiz'ations, schools and individuals. 
The bureau may also be consulted for advice in its field and "cvlll assist in 
the organization of civic and debating clubs independently or In connection 
with community centers. For further information consult the special cir- 
cular issued for the bureau. 

BUREAU OF LECTURES. Through this bureau arrangements may be 
made for lectures, single or in courses, commencement addresses, and so 
forth. The only charges are the lecturers' fees and expenses. See the 
circular of information for fuller details. 

III. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLICATION 

This department publishes the University Extension Journal, a quar- 
terly, and numerous bulletins required for different phases of the exten- 
sion work, and to bring to the public or to portions of it the results of 
work in different departmeuls of the University. A list of publications 
already issued will be found on the tliird cover page. 



BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON 

University Extension Series No. 17 General Series No. 95 



University of Washington 




University Extension Division 



A Survey 

of the 

Port Townsend Public Schools 

under the direction of 

HERBERT G. LULL, PH. D. 

Professor in the College of Education 
University of Washington 



SEATTLE 

Published by the University 

August, 1915 



Entered as second class matter at Seattle, under the act of July 15, 1894 



Survey Committee 



From the Faculty of the College of Education, 
University of Washington 

Herbert G. Lull Professor of Education 

Joseph K. Hart Assistant Professor of Education 

Henry M. Grant Student and Survey Assistant 

Paul J. Kruse Instructor in Education 



;d. of Do 

JAN 5 1917 



Foreword 



By Edwin A. Start, Director of the Extension Division 

This survey of the public schools of Port Townsend was under- 
taken on the initiative of the Superintendent of Schools, and by re- 
quest of the Board of Education of the city. The work was put in 
charge of Professor Herbert G. Lull of the College of Education of 
the University and he chose his associates. The Board of Education 
of Port Townsend provided for the traveling expenses of the com- 
mittee and the Extension Division of the University bore all other 
expenses, including that of publication. The members of the survey 
did the work in addition to their regular duties at the University, 
serving this committee without pay. 

One year ago a survey of the Blaine schools was made under 
similar conditions. The report of that survey was published in the 
University Extension Journal for July, 1914. That its results were 
constructive and beneficial is conclusively shown by the summary 
of improved conditions resulting from it, which appears as an Ap- 
pendix to the present report. 

It may not be out of place to repeat here a general statement 
which was printed in the foreword of the Blaine survey: 

"Survey is a word that has acquired within a few years a certain 
technical meaning as applied to social work. It is used to describe 
a thorough examination by experts of the social conditions of a com- 
munity in general, or of some particular phase of them. It is a val- 
uable means of community appraisal, and is necessary to the self- 
understanding that must precede self-improvement. The survey can 
never be successfully made by people directly connected with the in- 
stitutions to be surveyed, no matter how competent they may be. This 
is so obvious as hardly to need stating. 

"The State of Washington and its communities have grown so 
rapidly, its institutions have had to be whipped into shape so hastily, 
that it is particularly in need of a thorough social and educational 
survey all along the line. Careful appraisal of its merits and defects 
will be of great value at this time, when institutions are changing 
so rapidly, as a guide for future development." 



(3) 



Table of Contents 



Page 

The Educational Situation in Port Townsend 5 

The Administration of Education 

Relation of District to State and County 14 

Instructional Relationships 14 

General Financial Relationships 15 

The Finances of the District 16 

General Administration of Education in the District 

Board of Education — Superintendent 20 

Supervision 

. Superintendent — Board of Education 24 

Progress of the Schools 26 

The Community and the Schools 29 

Exhibits and Statistics 30 

Sanitary Conditions in the Schools 42 

The Course of Study and Instruction 

Elementary School 44 

High School 

Academic Branches 58 

Manual Training and Domestic Science 64 

Extra Classroom Activities of Students 66 

The Quality of Instruction 71 

Age Distribution of Elementary School Pupils 103 

The Educational Program of Port Townsend 105 

Appendix 

The Blaine Survey (1913-14), a Summary of Results 110 

(4) 



A Survey of the Port Townsend 
Public Schools 



The purpose of the committee in making this survey was to ex- 
amine the school system with the view of making recommendations 
that could be practically carried out. To attempt to make a survey 
along all lines of school work such as would be applicable in a large 
city system would be a waste of time. The problem which the 
committee undertook to solve was, what is practical and realizable 
for Port Townsend. in the next ten years. 

The committee is indebted for the helpful cooperation given in 
connection with the work of the survey by the teachers, the Board 
of Education, and, especially, by Superintendent A. N. French and 
Mrs. King, Principal of the Elementary School. 

Note: — In certain instances recommendations of the committee 
were not concurred in by all members of the committee. 

The Educational Situation in Port Townsend 

Present conditions in education prove that the school can no 
longer be regarded as the complete instrument of education. Children 
are influenced, 1. e., educated, in part by many elements of community 
life that lie entirely outside the school room. A survey of the edu- 
cational conditions in a city, therefore, cannot deal merely with ele- 
ments that lie entirely within the school. It must begin with an 
attempt to discover just what the larger educational problem of the 
community really is. 

This problem must be seen, not from any purely traditional point 
of view, but from the standpoint of the whole educational need of 
the community, which will include, alike, the children and the adults; 
and it must take into account the efforts of all sorts that are being 
made to meet those needs and the wider developments that must take 
place, whether within the traditional institutions of education, or 
within the wider plans of the community itself to provide for its own 
growing life and interests. 

We may for the purpose of this discussion, divide the social ele- 
ments that are influential in education along the following lines : 

1. Physical resources and the industries based upon these re- 
sources by which the actual economic future of the community is as- 
sured. 

2. The populations and the immediate problems growing out of 
the development of the city on its human side. 

3. The traditions and local history that tend to determine the 
modes of thought and life in the community. 

4. The political and social life of the community. 

(5) 



6 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

5. Provisions outside of the school for the recreation, play and 
amusement of the children and community. 

6. The general level of intellectual interests in the community. 

All these elements and conditions tend to determine the at- 
titude of the community toward its most vital problems. And the 
school and the work of the school must largely be organized with ref- 
erence to what may or may not be the condition along these lines. 
We must, therefore, consider the conditions existing in Port Townsend 
under these various heads. 

1. Port Townsend is the county seat and general commercial 
center of Jefferson County and its industrial future must be con- 
sidered in reference to the county unit; or at least in reference to that 
part of the county lying east of the Olympics which, in reality, is 
tributary to the city. The following chart will show something of the 
way in which Port Townsend is surrounded with a variety of economic 
resources and industrial opportunities: 




The order in which these items appear in the chart is largely 



THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION 7 

arbitrary, but based somewhat upon the actual situation. The outer 
four represent basic raw materials. The possibility of developing 
these various basic resources lies largely in the future. If we take 
the first, — the offerings of the sea, it is obvious that the development 
of these raw resources has only just begun. What will be done in 
the way of further development at Port Townsend will depend very 
largely upon the attitude of the people. It is true we are every- 
where subject to the belief in the supremacy of "capital." But 
paralysis of local initiative cannot exist forever. 

The chart is sufficiently suggestive to set forth the magnitude of 
the problem. It is enough to call the attention of the teachers and 
intelligent citizens of the community to these broad lines in which pos- 
sible industrial development may reasonably be expected to take place. 

It may be necessary, however, to justify the presentation of this 
chart in an educational survey. This can be done in the following 
ways. All industry may be looked at from an educational point of 
view. Before there was a school, education went on in most of the 
industries themselves. It is a false view both of industry and educa- 
tion to suggest that the development of the school has released in- 
dustry from its educational obligation; or that the school cut off 
from the industry of the community, can perform its educational func- 
tions. Under such conditions industries lose their real significance 
not merely to feed and clothe the community, but to give it lasting 
means of life, become discouraged and eventually decay; and schools 
lose their vital contact with the world and become abstract, bookish, 
unsocial. A better school in a community is possible, usually, only 
to the extent that the industrial life of the community develops new 
activities and new motives; and the industrial life of the community 
is likely to run along in habitual grooves unless the best intelligence of 
the community stimulates and helps to organize that industrial de- 
velopment. 

The great need of the educational system of Port Townsend at 
the present time is the recognition and development of the mutual 
interrelationships of the businesses, industries and economic develop- 
ments, and the school system. 

The accompanying chart puts the school at the center, sur- 
rounded by possible lines of industry. At a later point in this sur- 
vey another chart will be presented, showing another phase of the 
relationship between the industries of the community and the school. 

There are however, a few items in this industrial situation which 
should be discussed in some little detail. To present all of them in 
detail, would of course, require too much space. 

One of the most important of the items in the chart is the prob- 
lem of the agricultural resources. The U. S. Census for 1910 gives 
some definite statistics for Jefferson County and Port Townsend. 
These figures tell an interesting story. They are as follows: 



8 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Population of Jefferson County 1910 8,337 

Population of Jefferson County 1900 5,712 

Increase in decade 2,625 

Approximate Land Area of the County 1,118,080 

Land in farms in 1910 31,518 

Land in farms in 1900 29,289 

Increase in decade in farm land 2,229 

It will be noted that the increase of land in farms shows an 
average of less than one acre per individual increase in population 
of the county. That is to say, the population increase in the county 
seems to have been almost entirely in the towns, largely at Irondale 
and Hadlock, probably, though Port Townsend's population shows the 
following change: 

Population of Port Townsend in 1910 4,181 

Population of Port Townsend in 1900 3,443 

Increase in decade 638 

To show further the lack of development of the agricultural re- 
sources of the county it may be noted that in 1910 out of the total 
number of acres of land in farms in the county, 6,554< acres were 
improved. In 1900, 6,111 acres were improved. That is to say, 
during the decade there was an actual increase of 443 acres of im- 
proved land. In ten years 443 acres of wild land had been brought 
under cultivation. Of course, it will be said that Jefferson County 
is largely made up of inaccessible land, not fit for farming pur- 
poses; also that it is not the business of Port Townsend to develop 
the farm lands of Jefferson County; both of which statements will 
largely be accepted as true from a general point of view. All that is 
intended by means of these figures is to show that the educational de- 
velopment of the county seat will be conditioned and hindered by 
the lack of development of the industrial possibilities surrounding 
the town, chief among which is this one of agriculture. 

One further comparison may be noted. The number of farms 
and farmers in the whole county in 1910 was 262; for 1900 the num- 
ber was 212; an increase during the decade of 50. This small in- 
crease in the number of farms and farmers does not seem to have 
been occasioned by the natural unprofitableness of the industry for 
the same table gives the following instructive facts about the in- 
crease in value of farm properties. 

Value of farm properties in county for 1910 $1,975,980.00 

Same in 1900 740,229.00 

Increase during the decade 1,235,751.00 

Percent of increase 166.9 

There is here no intention to overlook the fact that agricultural 
development in Jefferson County is extremely difficult but the actual 
progress that has been achieved in the Chimacum valley; the success 
of the region known as the Chinese Gardens, and the statistics given 
above, all tend to show that there is room for further growth. 

One further item in connection with this industrial problem 
might well be mentioned. One of the leading sources of income of 
the city of Port Townsend comes of its relation to the military end of 
the national government. Here are three forts with a total military 



THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION 9 

population that averages more than one thousand, with a pay roll that 
runs up into the thousands of dollars per month. To be sure, most 
of the general supplies furnished the forts by the regular com- 
missary and quartermaster's departments are purchased in Seattle ; 
but a good deal of the incidental spending of the soldiers is done in 
Port Townsend; and this has tended to the development of those 
types of business which provide opportunity for the particular kind 
of spending that soldiers indulge in. One noticeable outcome of this 
is seen in the presence of many small businesses, not altogether unlike 
that carried on by the old time army sutler. He was a sort of hanger- 
on of the military career, having little interest in the soldiers of the 
community beyond what he could make out of them. 

Port Townsend, in its way, pays the penalty of being a military 
center. A certain dependence upon the national government runs 
through all the interests of the town. It gives the place a little of 
the feeling that it has a sort of fairy godmother who will take care 
of it; and thus, in a way, it makes unnecessary the development of 
those substantial industries based upon its own resources which 
in reality are both essential to the proper education of boys and girls 
of the community, and also furnish proper life outlets and vocational 
opportunities to the same boys and girls as they leave school. 

Few places have such natural beauty of location, and are sur- 
rounded by such tremendous economic resources as is Port Townsend; 
but the fever of old boom days has not been completely lost from 
the blood; the will to work at the immediate task is not fully 
present, and the presence of the military post with its easy money 
tends to keep alive the feeling of a glorious past that will surely 
come again. In this Port Townsend shares a common belief of the 
whole northwest. 

Over against all these things, as a part of the definite education 
problem of the community we may set the following tasks which are 
some of the real tasks of the city, considered as a normal community 
interested in its own industrial and educational welfare: 

A. How to recover completely from the old boom fevers and to 
take up quietly and seriously the new tasks of the new day. 

B. How to realize on these various resources of wealth now 
latent or only partially developed. 

C. How to make all these latent resources help in the educa- 
tion of the young and old. 

D. How to make these latent economic opportunities real social 
and educational opportunities, stimulating the young to real life 
careers, to a share in the constructive and productive tasks of the 
world. 

E. How to develop a community education system, including the 
schools, that will use all the community resources in the training of 



10 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

its young people and in the development of a higher and broader 
community program. 

The most universal remark which one hears from the young 
people and from the old too, is this: "Why should a young man re- 
main in Port Townsend? There is nothing for him to do here." But, 
there must be something for him to do "here" if the town is not to 
lose its best life. Port Townsend is now playing a losing game ; 
it is educating its young people for a life that they will lead elsewhere. 
Of course, that is an unselfish plan, but no community can afford to 
be drained of its best resources endlessly. The result will appear in 
disastrous fashion sooner or later. 

2. A second major problem of Port Townsend is that of its pop- 
ulation, and the questions that grow out of the development of the 
city on what may be called its human side. The population of 
Jefferson County, as has been true in the case of many other local 
communities in the Northwest, has had some rather strange ups and 
downs. The figures given in the 1910 census reports are not com- 
pletely intelligible. The statement is made that Port Townsend 
precinct, which is said to have been co-extensive with Port Townsend 
City, had a population, in 1890, of 5,677. At another point, Port 
Townsend City is given a population of 4,558 in 1890. If we take the 
smaller of these two figures as the correct one for purposes of com- 
parison, we have the following striking shift in population: 

In 1890 4,558 

In 1900 3,443 

or a loss of 1,115 in the decade 

In 1910 the population had again risen to 4,181, a gain for the 
decade of 738; with a net loss in twenty years of 377. These twenty 
years mark the period of the gradual subsidence of the old boom which 
was at its height about 1889-92. The ebb tide was reached near 
1900, and the city began to regain its old confidence in itself in the 
decade of 1900 to 1910. 

Figures are not available for the growth in population since 
1910. However, the percentage of increase in population in the 
decade from 1900 to 1910 was 21.4. If that same percentage was 
held in these succeeding five years, the population at the present time 
may be estimated as being 4,678. 

If we consider the composition and character of the population, 
we must rely upon general figures, as the census bulletins do not 
analyze figures for cities the size of Port Townsend ; but, the figures 
for Jefferson County are given and these may be looked upon as 
holding the average for Port Townsend also. 

The mixed character of the population of the county may be 
shown by the following figures from the 1910 census tables, of 
people who were of foreign birth: 



THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION 11 

Austrian 54 Greeks 4 

Belgian 1 Dutch 11 

Frencli Canadian 24 Hungarians 9 

Canadian or other extraction ... 331 Irish 131 

Danes 75 Italian 87 

English 218 Norwegian 267 

Finns 50 Russian 21 

French 25 Scotch 89 

Swedes 304 Swiss 23 

Welch 16 Scattered White 62 

German 283 

In addition there was a population in the county of 451 Chinese, 
Japanese and Indians. 

In addition to the above figures attention may be called to the 
fact that there were in the county in 1910 a still larger number of 
people who, though they themselves were born in this country, were 
children of parents born in other countries. 

A summary of population (not in detailed figures) gives the fol- 
lowing facts with reference to Port Townsend itself: 

Total Population in 1910 4,181 

Males 2,691 

Females 1.490 

Native White of native parents 1,917 

Native White of foreign or mixed parentage 1,224 

Foreign born white 969 

Negroes 5 

Indians, Chinese, Japanese and others 66 

3. In its history, Port Townsend has traditions that run far 
back into the early pioneer times in the state. There are citizens still 
living in the city who had a stirring share in the early struggles to 
win a home for white civilization on Puget Sound. The story of 
those earlier days has not been properly regarded and kept for the 
inspiration of the younger generations of today. (The school historians 
have a duty here). The intervening boom times have filled the memory, 
controlled the imagination of the city and even blotted out the romance 
of the older story. 

There is nothing more striking in the history of the Northwest 
than the romantic story of the boom in Port Townsend. A glimpse at 
the map which marks the high tide of real estate advertising and 
industrial exploitation shows the unlimited confidence which the 
people in those days had in the city and its future. The marks of the 
old street car lines still remain. The old paved streets in the busi- 
ness district on the tide flats, long since deserted and gone to decay, 
tell the story of an industrial dream that has vanished from the earth 
for the present. The location of the Court House is a lasting testimony 
to the change that has taken place, for when it was built it was near 
the center of the city's activities. And the old business blocks in 
the present main part of the city, which were not even finished, tell 
the story of the sudden collapse of these old expectations. 

Port Townsend has been living on the memories of those old hopes 
to too great a degree ever since. That boom fever left a certain virus 
in the blood. In that fact, however, Port Townsend has not been 
different from other communities of the Northwest; for we have 
all been living in a land of golden dreams. But Port Townsend has 



12 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

had over-great difficulty in recovering from those shattered dreams. 
Even yet the hope of winning back its old expectations by some sud- 
den capture of a secret good fortune lingers in the background of the 
minds of many of the people; and there seems to be a sort of secret 
resentment against the development of common workaday industries. 
There is a sort of fixed conflict between the memories of the old boom 
days and the stern necessities of the present. This makes the in- 
dustrial problem all the more difficult and the educational problem 
extremely complicated. But nothing seems more necessary, to an 
impartial outsider, than a determination on the part of the common 
citizenship of the community to go back beyond those golden "boom" 
days to the more stirring and more stern pioneer days for the secret 
of the task that lies ahead and for the inspiration of the still unac- 
complished great deed. 

4. The civic life of Port Townsend is a rather strange one. 
Dating from the old days when population was larger than at present 
in comparison with other parts of the state, Jefferson County has held 
a weighty position in matters of state government. And partly as a 
result of this, Jefferson County has furnished to the state some strong 
political leaders. At the present time Jefferson County and the 
city of Port Townsend can probably claim the citizenship of the 
strongest political leaders of the state. This makes the educational 
problem of the community all the more serious. The state of Wash- 
ington is "not yet out of the woods." Political leadership of the state 
is likely to be found at various times in almost any of the communities 
of the state and this puts upon our local communities the responsibility 
for the development of a type of civic and political instruction intended 
to assure the development of sincere, public spirited, whole hearted, 
democratic intelligence. Nothing can be more fatal to democratic in- 
stitutions than the growth of a civic leadership that roots itself in 
old boom dreams, in militarism, in contempt for common industry or 
in the theory of the right of the politician to exploit the community 
or the state for private purposes. Port Townsend and Jefferson 
County receive largely from the common school fund of the state. 
Their responsibility to the larger civic life of the state is great, ac- 
cordingly. 

5. The old town site of Port Townsend, as has been intimated, 
covers a very wide expanse of territory, a very large part of which 
has been allowed to grow up with a second forest of small timber. 
The hills and valleys, the salt water that surrounds the city on three 
sides, and almost on four, the fresh water lakes that lie some miles 
out from the present city, but which were almost included within the 
old city limits, the mountains that lie beyond, and many other features 
that might be mentioned, make of Port Townsend's location one of the 
beauty spots of the world; a place of pure air, wide spaces, stimulat- 
ing scenery and the possibility of a rich and varied life. But these 
same wide spaces, hills and valleys, second-growth forests, old build- 
ings, dilapidated blocks and streets of the old time, together with 



THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION 13 

the conditions that gather about military posts, make it also a city 
where extraordinary care must be taken to keep growing boys and 
girls from common evils. Not enough attention has been paid to the 
development of the resources that would make for a rich and generous 
play-life of the boys and girls. Something has been done to provide 
the chance for simple recreation for the community, but not enough 
has been done by any means ; and while there is no intimation that 
lack of attention has led to more disastrous results in Port Townsend 
than in other cities of the same size, yet the fact remains that Port 
Townsend has not taken advantage of all its possibilities, has not lived 
up to its resources that might make for a wonderfully rich life of 
play, recreation, adventure, and amusement. And it is true that each 
recurring summer marks the enacting of social and moral tragedies in 
the lives of some of the children, especially boys. An old statement 
says, "To whom much has been given, from him shall much be re- 
quired." Port Townsend must realize more largely on its real re- 
sources along these lines ; and make a larger provision in its educational 
program for the normal activities, adventuresomeness and energy of 
boyhood and girlhood. 

6. The census bulletins give the following statistics showing the 
intellectual development of the population of Port Townsend: 

Total Number of population in 1910 of ten years and older 3,565 

Number illiterate 43 

Total native white ten years old and older 2,531 

Number illiterate 3 

Foreign born white, ten years old and older 966 

Number illiterate 24 

The percentage of illiteracy in the state for 1910 was 2.4%. 
The percentage of illiteracy in Port Townsend for 1910 was 1.2%. 

This shows that the percentage of illiteracy in Port Townsend was 
about half that of the state at large. 

Since 1910 the city has taken over and reorganized its old sub- 
scription library and made it into an efficient instrument which is 
working with what resources it has for the enrichment of the intel- 
lectual life of the city. The determination to make of the city a center 
of real intelligence is found in the schools, in the library, and in the 
minds of the leading citizens generally. It has not been here implied 
in any way that such is not the case. 

The determination to have the best possible community is not lack- 
ing in Port Townsend. The only significance of these introductory 
statements is this, that intelligence is not a thing that can be de- 
veloped in the school, or library, or by the study of books alone. Its 
roots are deep in the industrial, economic, political and social world. 
The school's task is related to all these social aspects of the community 
life. The school's task is in reality determined by these various aspects 
of the whole life. 

In the midst of a world of wonderful resources, with a vivid 
history, old compelling traditions and with its present capacities, Port 
Townsend's effort to develop the intellectual life of the children and 



14 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

the adults must be more and more closely related to all the other 
elements that enter into the whole life of the community. The school 
cannot do these things alone. It is not fair to the school to ask 
it to do this. The school stands in the midst of the community. It is 
not the whole community. The task of the school is very real^ but 
the teacher cannot cure with a few lessons or a little talk, what 
is being produced constantly by all the conditions of life and in- 
fluence in the community. Hence, as we turn from this preliminary 
statement of the problem to the study of the school itself, in all its 
aims, methods, purposes and results, we must not forget that the 
school is an instrument within the community, controlled by the com- 
munity, limited and conditioned by community attitudes, traditions, 
prejudices, developed by the community, destroyed by the community. 
It is the community's tool for developing intelligence — not apart 
from the life and industry of the community ; not even merely in ad- 
dition to that life and industry; but in the midst of and by the very 
means of what the community itself is. 

In the midst of Port Townsend, what is the school system and 
what should be its whole educational program? 



The Administration of Education. 

RELATION OF DISTRICT TO STATE AND COUNTY 

District No. 1 of Jefferson County, Washington, is a district of 
the second class, and, as a district of the second class, it sustains 
certain relationships to the county and state. 

INSTRUCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS 

The State Board of Education prescribes the general course of 
study for the schools of this district. This course of study may be 
modified and adapted to the needs of the locality by the superintendent 
and the teachers of the district, but its fundamental principles and 
content cannot be changed without the consent of the State Board 
of Education. The State Board of Education accredits high schools. 
When a high school is fully accredited its graduates may enter the 
State University, State College, and the normal schools without 
entrance examinations. When a high school is partially accredited 
the work accredited counts at face value for entrance to a fully ac- 
credited high school or for entrance to the University. In order to 
enter the University from a partially accredited school the student 
would have to take entrance examinations in all unaccredited work. 

The State High School Inspector examines as often as need be 
the work of the high school. On the basis of his examination he 
may recommend to the Board of Education that the high school be 
fully accredited (i. e. all four grades accredited), that it be partially 
accredited (i. e. the first one, two or three grades accredited), or, 
that it be dropped from the accredited list without recourse, or provis- 
ionally upon certain requirements being met. The high school in- 
spector meets the teachers, principal, superintendent, and board of 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION 15 

education, and gives advice on the needs of the schools. The teachers 
of the schools are certified by the authority of the State Board of 
Education acting under the statutory laws governing certification. 
The Superintendent of Public Instruction may revoke the certificates 
of teachers, and withhold state apportionment of money from districts 
not complying with the rules and regulations of the State Board of 
Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

While the above powers are referred to as the powers of the 
State Board of Education, they are for the most part only legally 
such. Actually the State Superintendent of Public Instruction de- 
termines the course of study, accredits the schools through his power of 
appointing the high school inspector and controlling the budget for 
his salary and expenses, determines the results of teachers' examin- 
ations through the selection of readers of examination papers. Again 
the position of the Superintendent of Public Instruction as president of 
the State Board of Education naturally gives him two important 
powers, viz., to initiate the actions of the Board of Education and 
to execute their orders. 

While the County Superintendent of Schools is given by statute 
considerable power over the course of study and instruction, yet in 
practice in districts employing a superintendent the county super- 
intendent does not usually interfere. This desirable relationship exists 
between the superintendent of the schools of district No. 1, and the 
county superintendent. The county superintendent has proved to be 
a very helpful advisor to the superintendent, teachers, and board of 
district No. 1. 

GENERAL FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS 

District No. 1 is one that profits greatly through the operation 
of the state and county apportionment laws. By law the state is 
required to raise annually $10.00 per school census child, (based upon 
the preceding year's census) and apportion quarterly the amount raised 
to the several counties of the state on the basis of attendance (attend- 
ance of the preceding year). The funds so apportioned are reappor- 
tioned by each county to its several school districts on the basis of at- 
tendance. In addition to the state apportionment there is a county fund 
apportioned to the districts. This fund is raised on the basis of $10.00 
per school census child, two-thirds of which fund is apportioned to 
the districts on the basis of days attendance, and one-third on the basis 
of the number of teachers employed for the minimum legal school 
year of six months. In addition to the above county and state ap- 
portionments. District No. 1 receives an annual bonus from the state 
of $400 for maintaining four high school grades. The above state- 
ment that district No. 1 profits greatly from the county and state 
apportionments is based principally upon the fact that the ratio of its 
assessed valuation to the number of its pupil attendance days is con- 
siderably less than the average ratio of all districts of the county 
and is, also, less than the average ratio of all districts of the state. 



16 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

The profit from county and state apportionments is due in part, also, 
to the fact that this district has a high percentage of high school at- 
tendance. The percentage of high school attendance of this district 
is 29% of its total attendance, while that of the state as a whole is 
13.1%. For one day of actual attendance in high school the district 
is credited in the state apportionment with one and one-half days. 

For the year ending June 30, 1914, district No. 1 raised by county 
school tax, rate 2.49 mills, $3,755.68, while it received from the 
county school apportionment $7,779.95. For the same year the district 
raised by state school tax, 2.06 mills, $3,107.08, while it received 
$7,938.27 ; counting the bonus of $400 for maintaining four high school 
grades, it received from the state apportionment $8,338.27. Briefly, 
therefore, district No. 1 received for the year ending June 30, 1914, 
$9,255.45 more from the county and state school funds apportionments 
than it paid into those funds. However, not all of the fund apportioned 
by the state is raised by the tax levy on the property of the state. 
In general, if the ratio of assessed valuations to the number of at- 
tendance were constant all districts of the state would receive more 
than they pay out, for approximately 30% of the state current school 
fund comes from the interest on the state permanent school fund, and 
this fact must always be takrn into consideration when studies of 
this sort are made. We may say, then, that district No. 1 received 
approximately $6,754.78 more from that part of the state current 
school fund which was raised by taxation than it paid into that 
fund. 

THE FINANCES OF THE DISTRICT 

The assessed valuation of the district No. 1 was for the year end- 
ing June 30, 1913, placed at $1,508,292.00, the valuation used in rais- 
ing taxes for 1913-14. This assessed valuation was supposed to be 
about 40% of the real value. 

The amounts raised by special taxes and rates were as follows 
for the year ending June, 1914: 

1. Amount raised for general fund, $6,033.05. Rate 4 mills. 

2. Amount raised on bonds for sinking fund, $4,524.65. Rate 
3 mills. 

3. Amount raised for interest on bonds, $4,524.65. Rate 3 mills. 

4. The total amount raised was $15,082.35, with a rate of 10 
mills.* 

The bonded indebtedness of the district at the end of that year 
was $103,700.00 and the amount of interest was $5,540.00 with 
rates of interest on the bonds varying from 5%% to 6%. The dis- 
trict has no warrant indebtedness. The interest on the bonds is paid 
annually. Bonds are paid off each year to the amount of about 
$4,000 to $6,000. Warrants are paid on presentation. 

It should be noted that six mills out of the ten mills special tax 

•The actual collections were probably about 20 per cent less than this 
amount, but taxes collected for previous years would probably bring the 
amount up to the figures above stated. 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION 17 

(local) was applied to the raising of a sinking fund to pay off bonds 
and only four mills to maintain the schools. Total amount of millage 
not applied in paying bonds or interest on bonds was 8.55 divided as 
follows: State, 2.06; county, 2.49; special (local), 4. The amount 
raised, therefore, for paying bonds and interest on bonds was ap- 
proximately 41.2% of the total amount raised for public school pur- 
poses. With a total millage for local, county, and state public school 
purposes of 14.55 it is easy to see what a great benefit the operation 
of the state and county apportionment laws has been. Were it not 
for the operation of these laws the district would have received for 
the operation and maintenance of its schools one year on the basis 
of 8.55 mills only $12,895.81 instead of $22,151.26. Or, if we con- 
sider it from another angle, to have raised the same amounts for school 
purposes for the year ending June, 1914, the millage would have been 
14.6 for operation and maintenance purposes, or 20.6 for all educa- 
tional purposes, including payments and interest on bonds. If, then, 
it were not for the existence of the state and county apportionments 
Port Townsend would be unable to maintain an average school system. 

The bonded indebtedness of the district for the year ending June, 
1914, amounted to $103,700, or 6.2% of the total assessed valuation 
of the district. In this connection it should be noted that no district 
is allowed at the present time by law to issue bonds above 5% of its 
assessed valuation. A large amount of the indebtedness of the dis- 
trict was assumed in boom days when valuations were fictitiously 
high. For this indebtedness the district has several blocks of land 
and three buildings, two of which can be used for school purposes. 
One, the grade building, is in fairly good condition and may be used 
for a number of years, while the other, the high school building, is 
scarcely inhabitable and should be abandoned as soon as possible. 
A new building is imperative, and yet the district ought not to incur 
any more indebtedness, and, moreover, would not be allowed to do 
so by law. The district might sell some of its unoccupied land, but 
there is no market for it at present. 

The financial condition of district No. 1 cannot be considered 
apart from that of the city of Port Townsend. The amount raised 
by the city, for city purposes only, for the year ending Dec. 31, 
1913, was $23,656.63 with a rate of 17 mills. The amount raised by 
the city, for county purposes, for the same year was $22,558.40 
with a rate of 16.21 mills, and the amount of state tax raised by the 
city was $10,409.50 with a rate of 7.48 mills. The total milage for 
city, county, and state, outside of public school support was 40.69 
mills. The bonded indebtedness of the city Dec. 31, 1913, was 
$104,100. The warrant indebtedness of the city is approximately 
equal to the bonded indebtedness. These warrants have been out- 
standing for several years. The accumulations of interest have made 
the present indebtedness practically three times that of the original. 
There seems to be some question on the part of many Port Townsend 
citizens whether warrants should be paid at any indefinite period 
after they have been called. A short time ago, however, one belated 



18 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



claimant was awarded payment by the court. This would seem to 
set a precedent for liability to payment of all other outstanding war- 
rants. These warrants, like many of the city and district bonds, were 
issued in the prosperous days of the community. The spirit of "easy 
money" spread easily from individual to public expenditures. After 
the decided slump in valuations the combined debts of school district 
and city amount at present to practically $301,800 or 20% of the 
assessed valuation of the district.* The assessed valuation is sup- 
posed to be 40% of the real valuation. If this percentage is correct, 
the indebtedness would be approximately 8% of the real valuation. 
The entire indebtedness must be paid from taxes since the city has 
no income from public utilities or other property. The uncertainty 
of the warrant indebtedness places the city in a relatively poorer 
financial condition than the district. 



Each $1.00 of tax paid is used as 
follows: (M=Military .25) 



Each $1.00 of tax paid is appor- 
tioned as follows: 




Each $1.00 of 1^^^ 
school money is 
expended as fol- 
lows: 



•The assessed valuation of district is slightly larger than that of the 
city Small amounts come into the county school fund annually from the 
sale' of forest reserve lands. For the year ending June, 1914, Port Town- 



sale of forest re 

send's share was $168.08 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION 19 

The fact that this community draws upon the county and state so 
heavily for the support of its schools should lead the board of educa- 
tion and the people of the district to consider the obligations they 
are under to the county and the state. Children should, first of all, be 
educated for citizenship and service in the community. Indeed, such 
is the true beginning of education for service in the state and na- 
tion. To put the matter more concretely, the people of this district 
should actively begin to discover the educational needs of their children 
as if they were going to live in the community. They should seek 
to find their social, industrial, and economic needs and then ascertain 
what the community may do to meet these needs. The attitude of the 
pupils reflects without doubt the prevalent opinion of the people when 
they say that "Port Townsend is a nice place to live in for a while, 
but there is nothing here and when high school is finished I must get 
out and go where I may find a career." The people of Port Townsend 
should courageously face this educational situation and not leave 
the whole question of social and economic betterment to the accidental 
conditions which the new railroad may bring to them. The question 
is, what is there in Port Townsend, and then what is there outside of 
Port Townsend that local schools may prepare for? What possibilities 
of new industrial development are there in Port Townsend.'' These 
will be discovered by looking at Port Townsend, then outside of Port 
Townsend, and then again, at Port Townsend. There are instances in 
the United States and even in this state, where the educational awaken- 
ing of the people has transformed the whole social life of the com- 
munity. Such a transformation is needed and is possible in Port 
Townsend. 

It should be perfectly clear after reviewing the financial condition 
of the school district and of the city that the construction of a new 
school building is out of the question. The grade building still has 
sufficient capacity to accommodate the number of children attending. 
By removing some of the high school work done in that building it 
will be large enough for many years unless the city grows much faster 
than it is growing at present. 

The high school building is large enough for the present and 
probably will be for some time to come, but it is in very bad con- 
dition. The building seems to be sufficiently substantial to stand alter- 
ation and repair. In its present condition it is unsanitary and 
dangerous. The floors and cloak rooms have been the harbingers of 
dirt and germs for years. The winding stairs at either end of the 
building are dangerous at any time and would be exceedingly dangerous 
in case of fire. The cloak rooms between the two supporting parti- 
tions on either side of the hall on the first floor are so dark that 
objects cannot be seen. The writer recommends: 

(1) First: That the partitions next to the hall be removed 
and that sanitary steel lockers be placed on either side of the lower 
hall to contain wraps and books. 



20 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

(2) That new floors of wood which will not splinter should 
replace the old ones. 

(3) That the winding stairs be taken out and straight, broad 
stairs be constructed. Possibly a landing half way up with one 
change in direction of the stairs would be advisable. 

(4) That a large window be made on either side of the double 
doors at each end of the building to give light and if need be, venti- 
lation for the long hallway. 

(5) The basement should be cemented, and a modern heating 
plant with thermostat attachment should be installed. The present 
stoves are the source of a great deal of extra dirt and are not satis- 
factory for heating purposes. 

(6) When the basement is fitted up, domestic science rooms 
could be easily provided for on one side and a gymnasium with shower 
baths on the other. 

Of course, in removing the partitions a certain number of pillar 
supports would have to be left in their places. In the judgment of 
the committee a reconstruction of the high school building is a 
feasible plan. The "old college building" located on the hill should 
never be used and it cannot be repaired. The district cannot build, 
but it can repair its present buildings. 



General Administration of Education 
THE DISTRICT 

BOARD OF EDUCATION— SUPERINTENDENT 

To be an efficient member of the board of education of Port 
Townsend is not an easy task. The board is confronted with several 
pressing problems. In the first place the board should be thoroughly 
informed in every detail of the school finance of the district, the re- 
lation of the financial condition of the district to the school finances of 
the county and state, and the relation of the district finance to that 
of the city of Port Townsend. They should be thoroughly informed as 
to the causes of the present financial condition of the district and 
should know whether or not the financial condition is improving as 
rapidly as the educational needs of the community demand. They 
should be able to show accurately what is being spent for the various 
services rendered by the schools, as for example, the cost of in- 
struction in the various branches of the high school. The following 
items in relation to each branch should be tabulated and kept from 
year to year, and used in connection with their plans for the ad- 
ministration of high school instruction: The number of pupils studying 
each branch; the number of classes per week in each branch; the 
average number of pupils per class in each branch; the number of 
pupil recitations a week in each branch ; the cost per pupil-recitation 
in each branch; the number of teaching hours required by each branch; 
the time required by teachers in other school activities, etc. Then the 
board would be able to decide intelligently, upon the superintendent's 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION 21 

recommendation, such questions as: Shall a given branch be con- 
tinued longer, or shall it be given in alternate years ? How many 
periods shall an instructor teach? Shall certain new branches be 
introduced? How many teachers will be required? 

Analysis of the cost of elementary education should be made 
and compared from year to year as follows : Total cost per pupil 
per year, (1) analyzed in terms of teacher cost, primary grades, 
grammar grades, and special teachers; (2) in terms of the cost of 
operation of school plant, janitor, fuel, lighting, janitor's supplies; 
(3) in terms of cost of books, supplies and incidentals; (4) in terms 
of the cost of the general administration; (5) and in terms of other 
costs which cannot be classified under the foregoing heads. A similar 
analysis should be made of the cost of secondary education and com- 
pared from year to year. Generally speaking all such statistical work 
should be done under the direction of the superintendent, but not by 
the superintendent. The small expenditure required to employ 
clerical assistance in doing such work would more than be paid for 
in the financial economy resulting. With such data at hand real 
economies could be effected. 

In the absence of systematic bookkeeping of this kind there is 
bound to be economic as well as educational waste. What occurs all 
too frequently in many communities has just recently occurred in 
Port Townsend. An active superintendent is employed and he begins 
to do things which may be very much in the interests of educational 
progress in the community. More expenditure is required in this line 
and that to improve the work. The board have confidence in the 
superintendent, as they should, and they vote the money. Expendi- 
tures rise a little each year as they should in a community where the 
schools are popular and are increasing in enrollment. Criticisms of 
the school begin to focus on expenditures. The present board is unable 
to show definitely what is very often the case, that while the cost of 
the schools has gone up, yet the pupil cost is lower, and at the same 
time, also, several new educational services which are demanded by 
the community are being rendered and better service in the old lines 
is being given. But new board members are elected on the strength 
of an "economy campaign." The old board had no definite and telling 
facts to defend themselves and the axe falls upon the superintendent's 
head. No one really knows whether or not money is really being 
wasted but in the absence of knowledge suspicion controls. The new 
board assumes its duties, salaries are lowered, the number of teach- 
ers is decreased, and the impossible is undertaken with the result 
that the party favoring better schools wins over the party of re- 
trenchment, and again there is a change in the administration. "Verily 
history repeateth itself" in the average conduct of small city schools. 
A real program of economy is in harmony with educational progress. 
A board of education favoring good schools should be able to give 
to the public the facts in the case at all times. If certain retrench- 
ments are necessary, and if certain expenditures are also necessary 



22 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

or highly advisable, they should be able to show precisely the reasons 
for their action. As it is the superintendent loses his position because 
the board have failed to do their duty in this respect. On the other 
hand the people have a right to know how and for what purpose their 
money is being expended. 

The constant round of changes in school administration results 
in educational and economic waste. One important factor in elimin- 
ating this waste is to introduce scientific management in the admin- 
istration of public education. 

The members of the board of education of district No. 1 are not 
actively engaged in doing any work for the schools. They attend 
the regular meetings of the school board and pass upon the recom- 
mendations of the superintendent, allow bills, etc. The board should 
be organized for investigation purposes into two committees, a com- 
mittee on finance, buildings and grounds, and a committee on in- 
struction. 

The committee on finance, buildings and grounds should be well 
informed along the following lines : 

(1) Laws of the state relating to the sources of school funds, in- 
cluding state, county, and district sources, and the methods 
of apportionment thereof. 

(2) Laws of the state relating to taxation for school purposes, 
state, county, district, and the apportionment of moneys raised 
by taxation. 

(3) Laws of the state relating to bonding and other methods of 
raising revenue for building purposes. 

(4) They should have an intimate acquaintance with the financial 
history of their district in order to assist them in judging cor- 
rectly the present financial condition of the district. They 
should know something of the finance of other districts of 
the state the size of Port Townsend to assist them in ap- 
preciating the financial standing of their own district. On 
the basis of the increase or decrease of the assessed valuation 
of the district for the last ten years or so, and on the basis 
of the present financial outlook, they ought to be assisted in 
making plans for the future. 

(5) This committee should study the different kinds of school 
buildings that are considered the standard as regards general 
architecture, materials, rooms, lighting, ventilation, sanitation, 
desks, blackboards, cloakrooms, furnace equipment, toilets, 
lavatories, drinking fountains, playgrounds, and play ap- 
paratus, etc. 

The committee on instruction should be well informed along the 
following lines : 

(1) Laws of the state regarding the certification of teachers. 

(2) General teaching standards required in the best school systems 
of districts of the second class of this state. 

(a) Requirements in academic and professional prepara- 



GENERAL, ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION 23 

tion and teaching experience for high school principals 
and teachers. 

(b) Requirements in academic and professional prepara- 
tion and teaching experience for grade teachers, super- 
visors, etc. 

(c) Requirements in academic and professional preparation 
and teaching experience for superintendents. 

(d) Salaries necessary to secure teachers, principals, super- 
visors and superintendents of standard qualificatiions. 

(e) Salary schedules involving minimum and maximum sal- 
aries, increase on the basis of length of service or of 
merit or both. 

(3) The relation of the superintendent to the board. 

(a) In the appointment, promotion, and dismissal of 
teachers. 

(b) The amount of time which the superintendent should 
actually devote to supervision. 

(c) The course of study and matters of instruction. 

(d) In matters of discipline and general control of the 
pupils. 

(e) In making recommendations to the board concerning 
buildings, grounds, equipment, requisitions for teachers' 
supplies, textbooks, supplementary reference and library 
books, — in short in all matters pertaining to the in- 
struction of the schools. 

(f) In what matters, if any, shall the board initiate action 
without the recommendation of the superintendent. 

(g) Shall the superintendent be present at all regular board 
meetings. 

The foregoing topics are a few of the questions that should be 
studied and answered in a published report by the board of educa- 
tion. Where is the authority in all important matters, and who 
shall be held responsible? Superintendents in this state have no legal 
status. Custom offers the only criterion for their status, and custom 
is a variable commodity in different communities and frequently in 
the same community at different times. 

The schools of Port Townsend are suffering greatly for the lack 
of a school board policy. Because of this lack the superintendent and 
teachers are uncertain what to do, and the people do not know what 
to depend upon in the administration of the schools. For several years 
the board has been uncertain whether or not they should employ a 
superintendent. The question has arisen frequently whether it would 
not be better to have simply a principal of the high school and one for 
the grade school and do without a superintendent. At the present time 
certain of the board members seem to be inclined to entertain this 
delusion. This delusion, however, is based upon another delusion that 
Port Townsend is now and has been having supervision of its schools. 
It is true that a superintendent has been employed, but having been 



24 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

employed, conditions make supervision impossible. Who are re- 
sponsible for the conditions? 



Supervision 

SUPERINTENDENT BOARD OF EDUCATION 

The great source of weakness in the administration of the schools 
in this place is the lack of provision for effective supervision. There 
can be no such thing as supervision in absentia, but this is precisely 
what has been undertaken at Port Townsend. The present super- 
intendent saw the necessity of enriching the work in the grades and 
the high school, and accordingly has introduced drawing and music 
in all elementary grades, manual training and domestic science in the 
upper elementary grades, manual training, home economics, common 
branches, economics and civics in the high school. In order to do the 
extra work in the high school the superintendent has found it neces- 
sary to teach four classes a day. This work, together with the numer- 
ous details of his office, for which no help has been provided, and the 
conferences with students and parents, has made effective supervision 
impossible. The superintendent has done considerable work on the 
courses of study with his teachers, both of the elementary and high 
schools, but he has not been able to follow up this work at all by ob- 
serving instruction of the teachers and by conferences with them, al- 
though these are absolutely essential factors in successful super- 
vision. To take the place of visitation and conference the superin- 
tendent instituted a system of teacher plan books which he occasionally 
inspects. More will be said in regard to these plan books later on, but 
suffice to say that they offer no substitute whatsoever for personal 
supervision. 

The question arises, who is to blame for the absence of super- 
vision. The answer of the survey committee is that both the board 
of education and the superintendent must share the responsibility. 
The board of education is to blame in the first place for not instructing 
the superintendent that his primary duty is supervision, and in the 
second place for failing to provide necessary stenographic, clerical, 
and teaching assistants to relieve the superintendent so that he could 
devote himself to supervision. The superintendent is to blame for not 
insisting that supervision is his first and primary duty and that the 
work of supervision must be carried on whether he has time for any- 
thing else or not. The superintendent should have insisted on devot- 
ing the greater amount of his time and interest to supervision even 
though the office work piled up to an intolerable extent. Perhaps if 
this had been done the board would have seen the necessity of pro- 
viding assistance. It was a mistake for the superintendent to have 
assigned himself four classes a day. In a place the size of Port 
Townsend the superintendent ought not to teach more than two classes 
a day, one in the forenoon and one in the afternoon. In this place, 



SUPERVISION 25 

having one high school and one elementary school, the superintendent 
should elect one of his classes in the elementary school. 

Due to the lack of effective supervision that has existed for some 
time, the dual principalship idea comes up periodically. This idea is 
sometimes encouraged by the principal of the elementary school. In 
the section of this report dealing with instruction it will be shown 
how great is the need of supervision in all grades and all subjects 
from the first year of the elementary to the last year of the high 
school. In the judgment of the writer, the present superintendent 
is capable of doing good work in supervision, but for reasons before 
stated, he has failed to do so. 

Perhaps it may not be evident without some argument why the 
dual principalship system would not work well. To such persons 
the committee would call attention to the need of the closest articula- 
tion between the work of the grades and the high school, need of con- 
tinuous lines of work extending from the upper grades into the high 
school, the need of certain teachers doing work in both schools, 
which already exists in Port Townsend; the trouble that would arise 
in furnishing the supplies and equipment for both schools out of the 
same budget without the judgment of one expert equally interested in 
both schools, and the consequent lack of money economy as well as 
educational economy that would result. The salary of one super- 
intendent divided in securing two principals would not secure com- 
petent supervision for either school. To pay sufficient salaries to 
secure competent supervision under such a system would be wasteful. 
Then again, to properly supervise the work of each school would 
require that the two principals teach much less than they now do. 
The dual system of supervision has long ago been abandoned in all 
progressive school systems. 

The superintendent of Port Townsend should take supervision 
as his leading role and he should not make either one school or the 
other his principal interest. His office should be detached from either 
school, and his interest should be vitally attached to both. 

While the present superintendent, like his predecessor, has failed 
in supervision, yet, as will be seen by reading other sections of this 
report, he has been an important agent in bringing about many de- 
sirable reforms in the schools of Port Townsend. Of course, in his 
desire to serve the community, he has started several things that he 
was unable to follow up. Among other matters, he took up a study 
of backward and retarded children. This study would have proved 
very fruitful, provided he had taken the time for supervision, but 
not being able to follow the study up through supervision, it was 
dropped. Again, he started a system of medical inspection which, 
judging from the record, was very successful for one year. This in- 
novation was not supported by the board and hence was dropped. 
However, the results accomplished in medical inspection and in the 
study of retardation were sufficient to justify the board in support- 
ing these lines of work as soon as school finances will allow. 



26 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSBND SCHOOLS 

PROGRESS OF THE SCHOOLS 

By comparing the high school enrollment with the school census 
for the last ten years, we find the increase in enrollment corresponds 
approximately to the increase in the census until the end of the school 
year, 1911-12. From this time till the end of the school year, 1913- 
14, the census decreases very rapidly, while the decrease in high school 
enrollment is very slight. (See exhibit A.) Of course, this might be 
explained by the census decrease among children below compulsory 
school age, i. e., between five and eight, and among those ordinarily 
above high school age (18 to 21). In the main, however, the fairly 
constant enrollment of the schools for the last two or three years is 
due, no doubt, to the rapidly increasing enrollment in the high school. 
From the school year, 1910-11, the high school enrollment has in- 
creased from 103 to 167 in 1914-15. (See exhibit C.) During this 
period, also, the high school enrollment has increased from 15.3 per 
cent of the total enrollment of the schools to 29 per cent. 

In view of these facts, therefore, it is quite fair to conclude that 
the high school is meeting the demands of the community better than 
before. It may be that better teachers are being employed in the 
high school, that there is a better spirit and social organization of the 
high school students, or that courses have been introduced which at- 
tract the boys and girls into the high school. In the judgment of 
the committee, all of these matters have been factors in increasing 
the high school enrollment. 

Again, the average daily attendance of the Port Townsend schools 
has been high for the last ten years. Beginning with 1902-03, and 
ending with 1911-12, the attendance has varied between 94 to 95 per 
cent of the enrollment, but from the year 1911-12 to the end of the 
year 1913-14 it increased to 97.85 per cent. This is a good showing 
for the Port Townsend schools in comparison with the average at- 
tendance of the state as a whole, which increased with little variation 
from 70 per cent in the year 1903-04 to 75.5 per cent in 1911-12. 

"Exhibit H" shows the number of students graduating from high 
school annually for the last twenty-three years. As is true of every 
small high school, there has been great variation in the numbers 
graduating from year to year. The last four classes have furnished 
22 per cent of the whole number graduating in twenty-three years. 
This is interesting when compared with the total enrollment of the 
schools. From an enrollment of 550 in 1903, there was a gradual 
increase till 1910, when it reached 664, the annual enrollments there- 
after down to 1914 being 647, 642, 654 and 623 respectively. 

The number of boys graduating in twenty-three years consti- 
tuted 38 per cent of the total number graduating, while of the whole 
number graduating during the last four years, the boys constitute 46 
per cent. 

Again, "Exhibit I" shows an interesting change in the number 
finishing the eighth grade, beginning with the eighth grade class of 



SUPERVISION 27 

1910. The number steadily increased from 33 for that year to 58 
for 1912, a slight decrease to 54 for 1913, and then an increase to 59 
for 1914. Another interesting item in the same exhibit shows the 
percentages of eighth grade graduates entering secondary schools. 
The percentage drops from 83% in 1911 to 55% in 1913, and then 
rises to 90% in 1914. These are high percentages. They indicate 
that the schools of Port Townsend are increasingly popular. 

The certification standards for teachers attained by the Port 
Townsend schools are satisfactory. In cases where the lower grades 
of certificates are held, the teachers are qualified through successful 
experience for their work. (See table and Exhibit G.) 

The foregoing tables and exhibits show that the schools are 
growing annually, and that of the ten-year period ending June, 1914, 
the last four years have been more marked for school progress, owing 
to the initiation of several new school services and other improve- 
ments. 

No doubt, all concerned in the conduct of the schools deserve a 
fair measure of credit for the present favorable condition. How- 
ever, it is only just to the present superintendent to state that he de- 
serves much credit for several important changes. He is responsible 
for the introduction of the new subjects, for raising the standard of 
teachers, for establishing a salary schedule (to which the board has 
not always lived up), for improving, with the cooperation of the 
teachers, the spirit, interest, and social organization of the pupils in 
the high school. The improvement of school spirit of the elementary 
school has been due to the hearty cooperation of teachers and pupils 
secured by the present principal. 

To sum up, the spirit of the schools is good. New things are 
being initiated. There is good interest and activity, but there is 
much waste of energy. This waste can only be eliminated by 
establishing real supervision. 

To establish and maintain effective supervision from now on, is 
the most important task confronting the board of education. A person 
might be very popular with patrons, teachers, pupils and be a success- 
ful principal or teacher and still be utterly unfitted to become a suc- 
cessful superintendent. These are important qualities of a successful 
superintendent, but they do not in themselves constitute a recommend- 
ation for a superintendent. The question is, can the superintendent 
supervise? What does he know about the principles underlying the 
course of study? What does he know about practical educational 
psychology? Can he take the broad social view of instruction and 
adapt the various parts of the curriculum to this view? Is he able to 
eliminate the useless or nearly useless parts of instruction ? Is he able 
to systematize the work from grade to grade and to point out the inter- 
relation of subjects and their applications. Is he large enough to com- 
mand the respect of the teachers and pupils and of the thinking and 
well disposed people of the community? Is he able to get things done 
through the voluntary cooperation of teachers, or must he dictate? 



28 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Is he big enough to welcome the suggestions of his teachers and with 
them work out the problems of instruction, etc. ? 

This is one of the greatest weaknesses of school boards. In 
far too many instances the board simply takes a chance. What con- 
stitute good recommendations in choosing a superintendent? Whose 
judgments should be relied upon in employing a superintendent? 
With too many boards, distance lends enchantment. Can the board 
by some means make those who are real judges of good supervision 
responsible for their recommendations? What are the relative merits 
of general and personal recommendations? If the board succeeds, 
if a good superintendent is secured, then there will be good 
teachers secured, teachers in the service will be improved, the course 
of study will be vitalized, and the whole system will improve steadily, 
but if the board secures an inefficient superintendent the whole system 
must inevitably retrograde and no amount of talent on the part of the 
teachers can stop the backward movement. The superintendent is 
the great conditioning factor in setting the pace and tone for the 
whole system. The choosing of the superintendent, let us repeat, is 
the most responsible, the most difficult and the most important duty 
performed by the board. If the board fails in this, it fails most 
grievously. This question should receive the closest study. 

How judge the superintendent after he is installed? A frequent 
method used seems to be through the pupils' tales and through the 
opinion of the parents ; often, also, through teachers with axes to 
grind for or against the superintendent. These sources are all right 
if they are systematically employed but they are usually the bad 
social rumors wafted to the ears of the board on the breezes of chronic 
discontent. If the board could receive the full measure of the opinions 
of teachers, pupils, and patrons, these sources would be reliable. 
The most reliable source of all of these would be the opinion of the 
teaching body. If a very large majority of the teachers do not sup- 
port the superintendent then there is something radically wrong with 
the superintendent. But one of the most reliable and most immediate 
sources of the board's information consists in the relationship the super- 
intendent sustains to them as a board. At every regular meeting of the 
board, especially during the first year of his service, the superintendent 
should discuss frankly with them all phases of the local school prob- 
lems. Upon his ability, insight, interest and energy in these respects, 
the board should be able to form correct judgments of the quality 
of the supervision. A superintendent who strives to hide his ignorance 
by avoiding the vital school questions or who is making a bluff at his 
work by using high sounding phrases and pleasantries should be 
easily detected by an intelligent board. Having once satisfied them- 
selves that the superintendent is efficient, then they should rely upon 
his judgment very largely for the conduct of the schools. Yet a 
teacher has a right to a hearing before the board, and it should be 
freely granted her as her right. The superintendent should gladly 
assent to this right of the teacher. There should be the utmost frank- 



THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOLS 29 

ness in the relationships of teachers, superintendent and the board 
to each other. To supervise is not to own the teachers. To super- 
vise is to assist, cooperate, suggest, lead, encourage and support to 
a very large degree the teachers in their endeavors, and only to a 
very small degree, to use one's authority over the teachers. A good 
board strives to make every unit of the system one hundred percent 
efficient. To educate is the most difficult of all professions. The 
board must endeavor to give everyone connected with the system an 
opportunity to do his best. A rule of mere authority is the worst 
of all rules in a school system. 



The Community and the Schools 

After considering the activities of the schools from many angles 
the committee is of the opinion that the schools are as far advanced as 
the educational interest of the community will warrant. There are 
many evidences which seem to show that the majority of the people 
of Port Townsend do not want any better schools. There are also 
evidences to show that many good things in the present school system 
are unappreciated. The last school election in this place was a dis- 
graceful affair. It may be that a change in administration and super- 
vision was needed, although the committee was unable to find such a 
need, but the issues that were raised, and the small politics that were 
played by the "wets" and the "drys" covered up the real school 
issues, if there were any. This community needs to wake up and find 
the real needs for public education. The board of education need 
to wake up and keep their minds steadfastly upon the needs of the 
rising generation. The board should stop "riding the rail" and come 
out on the square and support the superintendent if he be a good 
one and if he proves inefficient, dispense with his services with 
dispatch. Time has been when this place has allowed itself to be 
loaded down for a number of years with a very inefficient super- 
intendent. One would think, judging from the tenure of office of 
superintendents who have been employed in this place that the in- 
efficient is likely to remain quite as long as the efficient. 

The schools can not rise higher than the community values them. 
This community could help the school situation very much by organ- 
izing and perpetuating a vigorous parent-teachers association. The 
commercial club should look far enough ahead to see that a good 
school system is an invaluable asset in the future development of the 
city and it could well afford to give a place in its literature and its 
deliberations to the schools. 

The people of Port Townsend have good intentions, but these 
intentions should be transformed into constructive activity. The 
second great need of the public education in this place is a vigorous 
and intelligent administration of education by a school board of pol- 
icies known to the community. 



30 
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SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



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SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 












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38 



SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



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Total 
irollmen 


Per Cent of Total 
Enrollment 
t (H. S. and Gds.) 


593 


29 


623 


22.3 


654 


18.6 


642 


17.4 


647 


15.9 


664 


15.3 


625 


17.4 


618 


15.6 


605 


12.8 


606 


10.2 


601 


11.1 


580 


15.9 


550 


12.5 



EXHIBITS AND STATISTICS 39 

HIGH SCHOOL INCREASE: IN ENROLIiMENT SINCE 1003 

No. Enrolled 
Tear in High School 

1915 166 

1914 139 

1913 122 

1912 112 

1911 103 

1910 102 

1909 109 

1908 97 

1907 78 

1906 62 

1905 67 

1904 81 

1903 69 

Note: The State's High School enrollment, when compared with the 
total enrollment, is 13.1 per cent for the year 1914. 

And since 1903 there has been a gradual increase from 4.5 per cent 
to 13.1 per cent. 



PORT TOWNSEND PUBLIC SCHOOL 

Organization Feb. 1st, 1915 

Board of Education 3 

Superintendent 1 

Office Assistants 

High School Principal 1 

Graded School Principal 1 

fligh School Librarian and Secretary 

High School Teachers, full time 4 

Manual Training Teacher 1 

Domestic Science Teacher 1 

Elementary School Teachers 11 

High School Pupils 166 

Elementary School Pupils 427 

Janitor Lincoln Bldg 1 

Attendance Officer and Janitor 1 

Supervisors of Music-Drawing 



40 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 
TEACHERS ELECTED FOR 1914-1915 



Name 


Age 


Certificate 




A. N. French, Supt. 


40 


Life 




W. D. Olsan, Princ. H. S. 


31 


Life 




Hazel Learned 


22 


Life 




Elizabeth Robinson 


28 


Life 




Elva Edwards 


27 


Life 




Nellie Iffland 


26 


Life 




H. A. King 


47 


Manual Training 


Special 


Lydia Watson 


31 


Domestic Science 


Special 


M. E. King, Prin. Grades 


46 


Second 




Grace Lindsay 


41 


Life 




Myrtle Boyer 


23 


Normal 




Bernlce Cotton 


22 


Normal 




Bertha Kimmel 


30 


Life 




Abbie Mills 


24 


Normal 




Ina Wallace 


27 


Second 




Vira Calhoun 


27 


Life 




Priscilla LafCerty 


22 


Normal 




Sarah Troy Callow 


40 


Life 




Geraldine Cook 


22 


Second 




Alta Bwart 


23 


Second 





Total average age, 29.95. 



A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SEVEN PORT TOWNSEND HIGH SCHOOL 
GRADUATES OF 1912 AND 1913, WHO HAVE ENTERED THE UNI- 
VERSITY OF WASHINGTON AS FRESHMEN OF 1913 AND 1914, AND 
THE AVERAGE OF UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FRESHMEN 
FOR PAST FIVE YEARS. 



Grades. 




II 


n. 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII |Total| 


Av. % 


5 Yrs. 


A (96-100) .. 


.. 


1 


1 


1 


.. 


•• 


3 


6 


6.66 


8.954 


B (86-95) ... 


2 


2 


2 


1 


4 


2 


8 


21 


22.58 


33.69 


C (76-85) ... 


4 


6 


2 


6 


5 


6 


3 


32 


34.40 


30.41 


D (70-75) .. . 


4 


3 


2 


3 


4 


2 




18 


19.35 


13.02 


E (Failure) . 


3 


1 


1 


2 




2 


.. 


9 


9.67 


9.51 


Incomplete . 


1 




1 










2 


2.15 


4.39 


Withdrawn 




1 


2 




1 




1 


5 


5.53 




Total 


14 


14 


11 


13 


14 


12 


15 


93 









EXHIBITS AND STATISTICS 
ALUMNI 



41 



















m 


















a 
o 
















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B% 


















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5^ c 






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pa 


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S 


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OW 


2 Yr. H. S. 


















1891 


. . . 6 




8 


6 
15 


3 
3 


5 
9 




1 



3 





1892 


. . . 7 


2 


3 Yr. H. S. 






1894 


... 2 


2 
3 
3 
9 
4 


4 
12 

6 
14 
10 


1 
7 



1 


4 
12 

4 
10 

8 




1 
1 



1 


2 
5 
1 
2 
2 


2 


1895 


... 9 


1 


1896 


... 3 


1 


1897 


... 5 


2 


1898 


... 6 


2 


4 Yr. H. S. 






1899 


... 1 


1 

2 
2 
4 
2 
6 
3 
3 
3 
3 
4 
2 
8 


2 

7 

4 

12 

4 

18 

13 

9 

7 

9 

11 

18 

20 


1 
4 

4 

5 
3 
2 
2 
2 
1 

2 


2 
7 
3 
7 
3 
11 
6 
5 
2 
5 
5 
9 
1 




1 








2 


1 




2 

4 
1 

7 



13 

7 
4 
4 
4 
5 
7 
12 


2 


1900 


5 


3 


1901 


2 


1 


1902 


8 


4 


1903 


2 





1904 


12 


11 


1905 


10 


3 


1906 


6 


3 


1907 


4 


1 


1908 


6 


1 


1909 


7 


1 


1910 


16 





1911 


. ... 12 


1 


1912 


3 


7 

3 

11 

83 


10 

8 

25 

234 


1 



42 






118 






6 


7 
14 
14 

112 


() 


1913 


5 





1914 


. . . . 14 





Total 


151 


31 


Counted twice . . . , 


1 


2 


3 


1 


3 





2 


2 


Grand total . 


150 


81 


231 


41 


115 


6 


110 


29 



Three members of the class of 1898 returned to graduate again after 
the fourth year had been added. 

Those who became teachers and taught in the Port Townsend public 
schools are: 

1891 Anna Hunter, Virginia Trimble 

1892 Ella Lindsay, Mae Morris 

1894 Kathrina Anderson 

1895 Emma Baker, Anna Barthrop, Louise Griffiths, Louise Iffland, 

Inex Morris, Gertrude Smith 

1898 Sophia Peterson 

1899 Sophia Peterson. (Graduated second time.) 

1900 Aleta Griffiths, Jennie Iffland, Florence Payne, Eudora Oliver 

1902 Mae Terry 

1904 Edith Rhodes, Frances Smith 

1905 Vira Calhoun, Elva Edwards,* Ina Wallace 

1906 Nell Iffland, Grace Griffiths 

1909 Hazel Learned 

1911 Bernice Cotton 

•Those in our High School Faculty. 



42 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Sanitary Conditions in the Schools 

In preparing this section the MTiter will endeavor to constantly 
keep in mind the conditions in Port Townsend, with old buildings, 
etc. He will try to deal with the system as it is and not with it as 
a system well supplied with the resources for accomplishing all that 
a first class system demands. 

Treating the system from this viewpoint it can be said to be 
fairly average, perhaps even slightly above average, and yet there are 
a number of conditions that might be improved, conditions that exist 
because of lack of attention to some important details and not in- • 

herent in the system as it is. 

In regard to the precautions taken against the possible spread of ^ 

infection, one very important detail has been cared for. There ^ 

are sanitary drinking fountains and sanitary soap and towels. But, 
even here, detail has not been attended to. In the high school the It 

student washing his hands must pass his dripping hands over the 
drinking fountain in order to get a towel. This is a small detail that | 

could well be avoided by a little attention. The conditions as regard g 

the keeping down of dust have not been well looked after. Oil ^^ 

is used on the floors but at the time of the writer's inspection this i 

was not by any means sufficient to keep down the dust. In one room 
in the grade school the janitor was sweeping a room while the teacher 
and some eight or ten pupils whom she had detained were still there. C 

The air was filled with dust and it was not a pleasant place, much % 

less a healthful one. This same janitor assured the writer that he ^ 

used a feather duster after sweeping thereby stirring up the dust w 

some more, but removing none of it. A sweeping compound should '. 

be used upon the floors to gather up the dust, and a moist cloth 
should be used for dusting. In the grade schools erasers are taken 
outside to be dusted, as a general thing, but in the high school even 
this is not done. 

Proper attention is not paid to the disinfection of books, floors, 
desks and toilets. Some, but not sufficient, attention is paid to this 
in regard to the toilets and the text books are disinfected about once 
a year. The floors and dishes are treated with disinfectant so seldom 
that such treatment can be said to be unattempted. All of the above 
mentioned things should be kept well disinfected and the desks 
should be redressed often enough to keep their surfaces in a condition 
in which there will not be breeding places for germs.. Something 
should be done in the high school to secure better cloak rooms. The 
rooms now used are so dark and unwholesome that they are, to say 
the least, not proper places for the pupils' wraps to hang all day, 
mixed together as they are. This is of course, a defect due to the 
poorness of the building in which the high school is housed, but it 
is quite possible to conduct air into the cloak rooms without very 
great changes in the building. 

Fresh and moist air should be provided at all times for the pupils. 



SANITARY CONDITIONS IN THE SCHOOLS 43 

There is no system of ventilation in either school. The windows are 
depended on for this purpose. These are generally left up from the 
bottom, but there was a noticeable lack of openings at the top, 
especially in the high school. In any place where windows have to 
be relied upon for ventilation they should by all means be open, both 
at top and bottom in order to provide for as much change of air as 
possible. This is especially true where stoves are used for heating, 
and it is necessary to diffuse the heated air as evenly as possible 
through the rooms. 

The temperature of the school room is another factor of im- 
portance. More attention should be paid to the thermometers by the 
teachers and the temperature kept as even as possible and between 
sixty and seventy degrees. Attention to this point varies greatly 
with the different teachers and needs enforcement. 

The lighting is about as good as can be expected, speaking 
generally, in the buildings provided. The dark cloak rooms have 
been spoken of. The seats are placed so that they do not face the 
light but cross lights exist in a number of the rooms. The area of 
window to door space is sufficient and the tinting of the walls and 
window shades is in most rooms good. 

The physical conditions under which the pupils work and play 
could stand a considerable improvement. The seats and desks should 
be adjustable to the needs of the pupils and more attention should 
be paid to the seating of pupils at desks suited to their various 
statures. This is attended to in the grade school to a certain ex- 
tent by the use of wooden footstools where the seats are not adjustable. 
Light airy places should be provided for lunching and recreation in 
inclement weather. The basement, as it stands, is not a suitable place 
for this, and an early attempt should be made to provide a more 
suitable place. The possibilities in regard to the grounds are dis- 
cussed in another place, so it will not be necessary to touch upon 
them here. It will, however, be entirely in place here to say a word 
about the conditions in the high school in respect to stairways. The 
winding, narrow stairs in this building make it nothing more nor less 
than a fire trap. In case of fire it would be impossible to prevent 
congestion at these points with possible great loss of life. Such a 
condition should not be permitted to exist. Straight, wide stairways 
should be provided at whatever sacrifice of room it might cost. 

There is also a need of more attention to the proper seating of 
pupils with defective sight or hearing, the segregation of pupils 
showing any signs of contagious diseases, and the infection of lunches. 
Pupils with defective sight and hearing should be carefully watched 
for and seated in positions close to the blackboards or to the teacher. 
The teachers should be urged to watch for signs of these defects 
and also for signs of the common contagious diseases. Instruction in 
regard to these signs should be given to the teachers sufficiently often 
to insure their being efficient in this respect. Lunches should be 
inspected often enough to insure to the pupils clean and wholesome 



44 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

lunches at noon, even though it is impossible to provide better meals 
for them. 

The brief survey of some of the principal details in regard to 
sanitary conditions does not by any means cover the field and 
it is a necessary part of supervision to be constantly on the look- 
out for unsatisfactory conditions and for ways of improving them. 
The writer considers one of the most efficient ways of accomplishing 
this to be what might be termed a "continuous cleanup." That is, 
a building of a sentiment in the teachers and pupils that will keep 
them all awake to any unsanitary conditions and possible improve- 
ments in the school, the home, or the community. Every teacher 
should be well instructed in these matters and every pupil should 
have sanitation and proper health conditions drilled into him in 
such a manner that they would become a part of him to such an ex- 
tent that he would as soon go without washing his teeth as live in a 
room that was not conducive to his best possible physical and mental 
development. If such instruction were properly given, unsanitary 
conditions would not be tolerated for any length of time in the schools 
and there would be developed a considerably healthier race of men 
and women. 



The Course of Study and Instruction 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

The general spirit of the school is very good. Two or three 
teachers are having difficulty in discipline, but in general, pupils 
are obedient and respectful to teachers and the teachers are work- 
ing harmoniously with the principal, the superintendent and with 
each other. 

On the whole, this school is strong in expression, but Aveak 
in thinking. Its strength in expression consists rather in the amount 
of things done than as a result of vital mental activity. Pupils 
throughout the school are required to commit large amounts of 
poetry to memory. There is a great deal of recitation in concert in 
the various grades. The hand writing of the pupils averages well. 
There is a great deal of note-book work which represents very little 
organizing ability on the part of the pupils. The music work is 
generally good and the children enjoy it. A great deal of emphasis 
is placed upon singing the patriotic airs. The marching and order 
of the pupils in the halls are good. 

In contrast with the mechanical or semi-mechanical and formal 
work of the school the thought work is poor. A few illustrations 
from recitations observed will bring out this point. 

The recitation was that of a fifth grade reading class. A boy 
stepped before the class and read mechanically and with staring eyes 
looked off his book at regular intervals. The teacher commented, 
"That was good, John, — it would have been better if your words had 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 45 

been a little more clear cut." Then a little girl read. The teacher 
gave directions — "I wish it could be read without having to repeat 
at all." The little girl was perfect in "minding her pauses," pro- 
nouncing, and in looking off the book at regular intervals. No com- 
ment followed. A boy was the next to try his luck. When he had 
finished the teacher said, "Wait, Robert, you can read plainer than 
that, I am sure. Who will tell us how Robert could read better?" 
All hands went up. One pupil said, "He could read louder," an- 
other, "He could pronounce better." Then the teacher added, "He 
could, also, look up once in a while." The lesson was concluded by 
the pupils telling stories and reciting selections of poetry which 
they had previously read. 

A fourth grade lesson in reciting and reading poetry was ob- 
served. One boy recited a portion of the "Village Blacksmith" and 
another boy a selection from "The Children's Hour." Both were 
rendered in a mechanical, resounding fashion, with very little appre- 
ciation of their meanings. The class next took up the reading of a 
small portion of "Hiawatha" and the teacher directed that each 
child should read "two lines apiece and read them loud." When 
each member of the class had read as directed, the teacher introduced 
an innovation by requesting the pupils to read the page over again, 
each pupil reading four lines. At this point the visitor fled. 

The following contrast in conducting reading lessons shows the 
need for supervision. The second teacher through supervision could 
do very much better work than she is doing at present. 

The pupils sounded the new words to be taken up in the reading. 
The teacher asked the pupils to identify words and phrases in 
the lesson as "Find 'from Kate'." Some difficulty was experienced 
in this one, so the teacher asked the 'pupils to sound "from." 
After this was done the phrase "from Kate" was quickly found. 
"Find 'at school'." "Who is at school.^" "Kate." "Find 'Good 
boy'." "Find 'Home'." "Find 'write'." The children were eager to 
answer and they worked "like Trojans." The discoveries were fol- 
lowed in quick succession with "I have found it," "I have found it," 
"I have found it." After three or four minutes of this kind of 
work the children began the reading of the lesson. The teacher 
occasionally asked questions to which the sentences to be read 
were answers. The children read thoughtfully and quietly. The 
teacher allowed the children to take the lead. She occasionally al- 
lowed defective expression to pass uncriticized in order that the con- 
dition of good thinking by the pupils should be undisturbed. This 
reading lesson was very successful. 

Let us contrast this lesson with another first grade reading lesson 
conducted by another teacher in another room. The first selection read 
in part was as follows : 

"The little birds like the brook." 

"They like to drink the cold water." 

"The flowers like the brook too." 



46 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

"They can see their faces in it," etc. 

As the pupils read, the teacher constantly exploded with inter- 
jections like "can't you tell it better?" "Look off the book," "Speak 
a little plainer." At the close of the reading of each sentence many 
obvious comments and questions were put by the teacher, followed by 
the confused responses of pupils. There was a noticeable lack of 
quietness and thoughtfulness. The teacher was bright and cheerful 
but rambled on from one thing to another. The work lacked in organ- 
ization. The pupils were "on the way" they knew not where. Class 
dismissed. Another class was called and then teacher remembered 
that this was the time for folk dances and dismissed the class. 

The faults of these lessons were found to exist in several rooms. 
No doubt, a certain amount of poor work can be charged to the stage 
fright of the teachers, caused by the "prowlings" of the members of 
the committee. Yet there is much evidence to support the theory 
that the teachers are very uncertain as to what they are trying to do. 
When questioned by the members of the committee as to their purposes 
in the various lessons, answers as a rule were not forthcoming, or 
if they were, very few teachers in the corps would undertake to support 
their answers. 

The teachers of this building require pupils to put certain 
portions of their work in note books which are kept in filing cases 
at a side of the room, easily accessible to teacher and pupils. Several 
teachers were questioned in regard to the use of the note books. In 
each case the teacher decides what shall go into the note book and 
in what order the materials shall be written up. Some of the teachers 
stated that the important parts and parts suitable for memorizing 
were put in the note books. Others said that matter was written in 
note books once in a while when they had time, but that they had no 
principle of selecting what should be recorded. Just anything might 
go in. An examination of the note books bears out the statements 
of the teachers. What is the educational value of such work.^* Again, 
the cause for aimless instruction was sought by examining the teach- 
ers' plan books. If the teachers have anything in particular in mind 
except to require the pupils to study and recite one thing after an- 
other as the points of the outline occur in the state course of study and 
in the textbooks, it is not shown in their lesson plan books. The fol- 
lowing were selected, more or less at random, from the plans made 
by the teachers during the latter part of the first semester of the 
present school year: 

First Grade. Jan. 30th, — Febr. 12. 

Reading 

I. 1st Division. 

A. New Education Reader, p. 75, p. 84. 
Review work of preceding month. 
New families ate, old and ark. 

B. Sweet Pea Reader, p. 41-51. 
Review. 

In the lessons the following sounds are taught — e, u, o, a and y. 

II. 2nd Division. 

A. New Education Reader, p. 55-63. 

B. Sweet Pea Reader, p. 21-29. 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 47 

Phonics ■■■'' 

e, o, i, y, cl and a. 

Music 

A rat-a-tat-tat (The Drummer Boy), "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," 
America." 

Language 

The Little Black Girl 

1. appearance 

2. home 

3. amusements 

Abraham Lincoln 

1. Home 

2. School 

3. Kindness 

4. Strength and work 

St. "Valentine's Day 
1. St. Valentine 

Nature Study 

I. Elephant 

1. Size 

2. Appearance 

3. Food 

4. Use 

II. Dove 

1. Kinds 

2. Home and nests 

3. Food 
Writing 

Finish names 
I see you 
I love you 
Valentine 

Occupation 

Valentines 

Nature study posters 

Lincoln and Washington hooklets 

Number work. 

Time — hour and half-hour 
Measuring objects in room 
Simple addition problems 
Write numbers to 20 



Feb. 12-26 
First Grade 
Reading 

1st Division 

New Education Reader, p. 84-95 

New Families — in, Ink, (th) 
Sweet Pea Reader — p. 51-61 

2nd Division 

New Education Reader — p. 63-76 

Sweet Pea Reader — p. 29-44 
We shall begin to spell simple words in connection with our daily word 
drill — Example, rat, cat, see, hat, mat and boy. 

Music 

"Little George Washington" 

"There are many Flags." 
Nature Study 

1. Lion 

1. Size (Appearance) 

2. Food 

3. Kind 

2. Potato 

1. How it grows 



48 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

2. Use 

(a) Study potato vine which was planted at beginning of 

school year. 

(b) We shall pare, cut up potato and let it stand. Then 

make starch from the starch that comes from potato. 
Writing 

Write invitation for school program 
Come to see us, 
Thursday 
at 1:30 P. M. 
I see you. 
The boy can run 
Language 

Study of Washington's life. 

Drill for program 

Picture study "Annie's New Shoes." 

Reproduction of story "Annie's New Shoes." 

Number work. 

Write numbers to 40 

Simple addition problems 
Occupation work. 

Weaving rugs 

Sewing cards — Washington and the flag 

Hectograph work — overall boys with drum, horn, etc. 

Mounting of flags, hatchets. 



Second Grade Feb. 23-Feb. 26, 1915. 

Reading 

Aim — To secure accurate reading, have child notice paragraph. 

Tuesday. 
Div. I. S. S. page 46 — Sarah's Penny 
Div. II. New Ed. page 32. In Winter, part I. 

Wednesday. 
Div. I. S. S. page 61. Jack and Joe. Nature lesson. 
Div. II. New Ed. page 33, Winter, Part II. 

Thursday. 
Div. I. S. S. page 65. The Play house. (Outdoor and Home life) 
Div. II. New Ed. page 35, In the Barn. (Farm life) 

Friday 
Div. I. S. S. page 68, Turtle. Nature story 
Div. II. New Ed. page 37 — Fishing. 
Afternoon reading — Life of Longfellow 
page 118-119-120 of S. S. Book II. 



Se«ond Grade. Feb. 23 to Feb. 26, 1915. 

Arithmetic. 

Aim: To secure neatness and carefulness in work. 

Tuesday. 
Div. I. Oral: — Reading of numbers in hundreds and thousands 

Written — Addition 
Div. II. Combinations and simple on step addition. 

Wednesday 
Div. I. To correct carelessness review work of Tuesday. 
Div. II. Continue combination work. 

Thursday 
Div. I. Subtraction 71 

Div. II. Simple 2 column addition, as 41 
Friday plus 32 

Div. I. Multiply by 2 and 3 
Div. II. Review 
Spelling 

Words of week 

hour, day, minutes, seconds, week, clock, chair, Longfellow, twenty, 
seven, poet, poems, arm, village, children. 

Phonics 

Sounds of ar — 34 — ir — or — ur 
Writing 

Start, ink, work. 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 49 

Nature study and Language. 

Life of Henry W. Longfellow 

1. Who he was 

2. Kindness 

3. Boyhood 

4. Manhood 

5. Home 

6. His children 
Poems to be read and talked about: 

Children's Hour 

Hiawatha 

Village Blacksmith 

Picture and story of "Grandfather's Clock" and "The Arm Chair" 

Drawing or Art. 

Tuesday. 

Finish of Pussy "Willow studies 

Wednesday 

Cutting of Village Blacksmith 

Thursday and Friday 

Illustrating of language work 



Third Grade 

Second Week. 

Reading ^^^ Months"— Learn poem— spell months. "The Foolish Weather- 
cock," — emphasis on expression. Note position when reading. Re- 
produce story. — Phonics. 

Ar me^c.^^^ ^^ reading numbers in thousands. Review multiplication 
tables — 2's and 3's. Board work. 

^^ ^"%pelling words in connection with reading. Learn to spell Months. 
Sound words before spelling. Spell out loud, then write. 

'''"^Drill on words beginning with N & M, as notice, make, minute., 
nothing. 

^^"^"^^Weather lesson— cloudy or sunny, clear or hazy. Eskimo boy story.. 
Make sentences ending in words that rhyme. 

Handwork. 
Drawing. 



Third Grade. 

Third week. 

Third Readers — Story about "Ice" — Special work on phonics. Sound 
every new word. Special notice on position. "The Foolish Weather- 
cock." Reproduction of stories, illustrative stories. 

Ant "i^g^-^j.^ work for rapid drill. Emphasis on multiplying by two 
numbers, as 26x33 — Drill on tables. 

^^ '^^Readlng words, words which are most commonly used — Mispelled 
words learned for following day. Sound words. Phonetic drill in con- 
nection with Spelling. 

Wr t "^•j^jj^gj.gjj^g between q and g. Write words as queer, guess, quail. 
Review ms and ns. 

Languag^^^^ of materials used in school room as— paper, pencils, desks, 
books. Answer questions as "On what are you writing? etc. Given 
certain words, make a story of them. Use spelling words in sen- 
tences. 

Third Grade 

Fourth Week. January. 

Reading.^^^^^^ the <'Runaways"-word reylew-"The New Leaf "-Study 
the new words, "The Child's Puzzles." "Grace Darling. Study light- 
houses. 



50 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Arithmetic. 

Tables of 3's and 2's in review. Learn 40. Multiplication. Division 
by 2's and 3's. Addition review. 
Spelling. 
Language. 

Use spelling words in sentences. Learn use of "is" and "are," 
"here" and "hear." Give sentences to fill in the blanks. 
Writing. 

Capital R's. g, f, p letters which are partly below the line. 
Drawing. 

Scene drawing lesson. Free hand cutting of rabbits. Mount and 
color them. 



Fourth Grade. 

Feb. 23 to Mar. 19. 
Opening Exercises. 

Life and Stories of Longfellow. Story of Father Marquette, Story 
of Hennepin. Will have stories read and told in class. 
Arithmetic. 

Practical problems based on addition, subtraction, multiplication 
and division. Simple problems in dollars and cents. Continue drill 
on the four fundamentals. 
Spelling. 

Lesson 96 thru 111. Look up new words in dictionary. Be able 
to use all the words in sentences. 

Reading. 

Continue the review of Longfellow's poems. Complete the memor- 
izing of the "Village Blacksmith." Read the "Life of Longfellow." 
Stepping Stones, Book IV. Read "A Night on The Mississippi." The 
Jones Readers, Book IV. 

Art. 

Study Robin Redbreast. Draw and paint in colors. Study early 
spring flowers such as the crocus and violet. 

Music. 

Interval study by means of staff and Intervals. Review some 
of the rote songs as Robin Redbreast and Woodpecker. Learn new 
spring song. 

Writing. 

Work for movement. Review the capital letters. Practice small 
letters, a, c, d, o, u, v, w. m, n. 
Geography. 

North and South America. Asia and Europe. Africa and Aus- 
tralia. Where Plants Grow. Fruits and Spices of the Torrid Zone. 
Plants of the Warm Belts. Plants of the Cool and cold Belts. Animals. 
Animals of the Zone. 

Language. 

Read and reproduce the story "The Robin's Nest." (Guide Books 
to English — Book One. Page 37.) Special emphasis on punctuation. 
Study quotation marks and semicolon. 



Fifth Grade. 

Second Week. January. 

Reading. ,, , ^ „ , , ^ . 

Read History lessons for reading assignment. Special emphasis on 
pronunciation of proper nouns. Connection with preceding lesson. 

Arithmetic. . ^. ^ ... ^ ^ . , 

Begin decimals — Meaning — reading and writing of decimals. 
Change fractions to decimals and vice versa. 

20 new words. Meaning, use in sentences as well as spelling. 
Written and oral recitations. 

Geography. 

Continuation of study of Central States. U. S. as a whole. Locate 
prairie region. Appalachian highlands, etc., review of latitude and 
longitude. 

Language. 

Review of adjectives. Modifiers, Articles. General review. 

Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, and Sam Houston. 
Stories — connection with colonies. Texas Question. War with Mexico. 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 51 

Handwork. 

File semester's work — Make covers for it. New spelling blanks 
Sixth Grade. 

December 21. First "Week. 
Arithmetic. 

Mensuration — dividing inches into fourths, sixths, eighths, to make 
calendars. 

Second Week. Jan. 4-9 
Monday — Numeration, Notation 
Tuesday — Reading of decimals 

Wednesday — Addition and subtraction of decimals 
Thurs.-Fri. — Multiplication of decimals. 

Third Week. Jan. 9-16 
Mon.-Tues. — Finding of averages in different subjects, using report 
cards — Rapid addition. 

Wed. — Reduce decimal to common fraction — 11.28 — —rTz rri 

100 252 
Thur. — Multiplication of decimals by 
10—100, 1000 
23.46X10=234.6 
23.46X100=2346. 
23.46X1000=23,460 
Friday — To multiply a decimal by .1, .01, .001 by moving decimal 
point. 

Fourth Week, Jan. 18 — 23 
Monday — Final Examination 
Tuesday — Working Monday's test in class 
Wednesday — Monday's test given again 

Thursday — Friday, — to divide a decimal by 10, 100, 1000 by pointing 
off place. 

Arithmetic Test 
Sixth Grade 

I. I had 49 1/3 yards of string. I used 16% yds. How much had I 

left? 

II. When one book costs $11/22, what will 9 books cost? 

III. I had $4%. I spent $1/10 for a pencil, $1/3 for paper, $2/5 for a 

book. How much had I left? 
rv. Add: 4.632 plus 19.4 plus 3,6004 plus 1.864 plus .19004 plus 8. 

V. I had 34 tablets. I used 26.9. How much paper had I left? 

VI. When one acre of land cost $146.75, what will 48.68 A. cost? 

VII. Write in words (a) 9436.1809; (b) 27489.4603. 

VIII. When 24 marbles cost 35c, what will one marble cost? 

IX. 92.463, 19746, 72839, 42678, 92478, 18674, 67493. 

X. 36476-^86, 94763-^39. (The test of X. to be shown on paper.) 
Reading. 

First Week. Dec. 21 — 24. 
Reading and memorizing of Tennyson's "Christmas Bells," bring- 
ing out the use and meaning of certain phrases — such as frosty light, 
feud of rich and poor, false pride in place and blood, etc. 
Second Week. — Third Week. Jan. 4-16. 
Alfred, Lord Tennyson. To bring out the story of Tennyson's life 
In a connected way and to encourage a liking for his works. Words 
to be looked up, such as laureate, quaint, bard, aquiline, massive, etc. 
Words to be discussed. Wordsworth, Lincolnshire, Carlyle, etc. 
Fourth Week — Jan. 18-23. 
Reading. 

'"The Brook" — by Tennyson. Words to look up and discuss — 
haunts, coot, hern, sally, bicker, thorps, fret, mallow, lusty, grayling, 
etc. 
Geography — Dec. 21. 

The work of the fourth month was not completed, and is carried 
over into the fifth month's plans. 

First Week. Dec. 21-24. 
Monday — Note book work on tobacco, forests. 
Tuesday — Note book work on hogs, cattle. 
Wed. — Singing. 

Second Week. Jan. 4-9. 
Monday — (Notebook work all week) — fisheries, 
Tuesday — Coal, iron, 
Wed. — Sheep, wool, 
Thurs. — Oil, gas, 
Friday, Gold, silver, copper. 

Third week, Jan. 11-16 
Monday and Tuesday — Review of Map Work and physicial divisions 

of the U. S. 
Wednesday — Semester Examination. 

Thursday-Friday — Surface, climate and drainage of Central states, 
Eastern section. 



U SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Fourth Week — Jan. 18-23 
Monday — Resources of Central states as to location, flab, mineral 

wealth, soil, forest. 

(In relation to waters) 
Tuesday — Cities of Central States. 
Wednesday — Why Chicago is a large city. 
Thursday — Review of location — Learn to spell rivers. 
Friday — Notebook work — Review of Central states. 
Geography Test 

Sixth Grade 
L Name the Continents and oceans. 
IL Bound United States. 
IIL Describe the surface of U. S. by giving physical divisions. 

IV. Why Is Chicago a large city? 

V. Explain and describe the climate of the western plains. 

VL What is the cotton region of the U. S.? Name 5 cotton states, 

two cotton ports. 
VIL Why are the Central States, Eastern Section, rich? 
VIIL Name 5 states that produce coal — 5 that produce petroleum, 3 

that produce copper, 5 that produce iron, 2 that produce gold. 

IX. Describe the fishing industry of the U. S. 

X. For what are each of the following cities noted: Kansas City, 

Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Grand Rapids. 

XI. Name 5 rivers of the U. S. — tell into which water each flows. 

Sixth Grade. 
English. First Week — Dec. 21-24. 

Memorizing Tennyson's "Christmas Bells" and "Christinas Carol." 

Second Week. Jan. 4-9. 
Monday — Review of transitive and intransitive verbs — object comple- 
ment. 
Tuesday — Review transitive and intransitive verbs, attribute comple- 
ments. 
Wednesday — Continuation of Tuesday's work. 

Thursday — Complements selected from sentences in English book. 
Friday — Definitions and Complements — Complements selected from sen- 
tences. 

Third Week. Jan. 11-16. 
Monday — Filling out Money Order Blank. 

Tuesday-Wed. — Predicate adjective — as attribute complements. 
Thursday-Fri. — Predicate nouns as attribute complement — Use of 
nouns as attribute complement — as Edward was King. 

Fourth Week. Jan. 18-23. 
Monday, — Examination. 

Tuesday — Review of filling out Money order Blank. 
Wednesday — Simple subject and predicate. 
Thursday — Singing. 
Friday — Talk of Monday's Lesson. 

English Test. 

I. What is good English? 

II. Underline, with a straight line, the subject, with a waved line the 

predicate of the following sentences: 

"Health makes wealth," "Mabel finished her basket." 

III. Write one sentence containing four nouns; underline the nouns. 

IV. Name and illustrate the different kinds of sentences. 

V. Give 5 rules for the use of capitals. 

VI. Name and illustrate 2 ways in which an adjective may modify a 

noun. 

VII. Underline the pronouns in the following sentence: The captain 

called his men to him and gave them some words of cheer. 
VIIL What are the articles? 

IX. Fill out a post office order blank for $4.65 to be sent by you to 

the Bon Marche, Seattle, Wash. 

X. Write a (sentence) paragraph telling what you would do if we 

had a heavy snow fall and freezing weather. 
Writing. First Week, Dec. 21-24. 
Monday — Copy "Silent Night" 
Tuesday — Drill on digits 12-3-4-5 
Wednesday— Drill on digits 6-7-8-9-0 

Second Week. Jan. 4-9th. 
Monday — Drill on u, un, ww, wane 
Monday — Drill on u, uu, ww, wane 
Tuesday — Drill on v, v, v, vvv, r, r, rain 
Wednesday — Copy physiology in Note Book 
Thursday — tt tt time — written. 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 58 

Third Week — Jan. ll-16th. 
Monday — Drill on ee ee 11 11 sell see. 
Tuesday — Written work. 
Wednesday — Review drill — A, O, C, M, N, 
Thursday — aaaa dddd bidding 
Friday — aaaa ggg qqq digging 

Fourth Week — Jan. 18-23. 
Written work — Examination Week. 
Spelling. First Week. Dec. 21 to 24. 

Spelling words chosen from Reading and English 

Words which the children have daily use, using as they come up. 

Second Week. Jan. 4-8th. 
Words daily misspelled. 
Words selected from Geography. 
Two lessons from Speller, page 11. 

Third Week. Jan. ll-16th 
Days of the week, 
Months of the year. 
Cities of Central states as given in Geography lesson. 

Fourth Week. Jan. 18-23rd. 
Words chosen from misspelled words in Examination papers. 
How to Keep Well. 

I. Compare and contrast the body with an engine. 

II. What are the uses of the bones? of the muscles? 

III. Name and locate the different kinds of joints. 

IV. How should a room be ventilated? 
"V. Give five rules for the care of the eye. 

VI. What should be done in case of poisoning? 

VII. What should be done in case of arterial bleeding? 

VIII. How should a mustard poultice be made? 

IX. Give 5 ways by which the spread of disease may be prevented. 

X. Draw a tooth — Name its parts. 

Seventh Grade. February 1, 1915. 



Arithmetic 



(Percentage 

(Review all principles 

(Simplest problems selected from School Arlth. 

(Test latter part of week. 



(Speller, p. 43 
SpellinK (Study eighteen words during week 

(Definitions and use in sentences 

(Colonial Life — Review 
HlMtory (Distribution and Growth 

(Homes, Pastimes, Schools, Religion, etc. 

(Continue work on Surface of Asia 
Geography i^J-'^^J Pacific Slope 

(Arctic and Caspian slopes 
(Study Persia, Arabia 

Grammar (Work on prepositional phrase continued 

(Analysis of simple sentence containing phrases 

(Evangeline 

(Definitions of difficult words 
Reading (Descriptions of Grand pre — T Benedict, 

(Evangeline — written. 
(Reading of parts studied 

Grammar (Study adjective and adverbial phrases. 

(Analysis of simple sentences containing phrases. 

(Evangeline 

(Study of difficult words 
ReadlBK (Write descriptions of places and persons men- 

( tloned in the Selection studied. 
(Reading — of parts studied. 

OpenlnK Ebcerclsea (Review of quotations and poems studied during 
( first semester. 



64 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Eighth Grade. Nov. 23. 

Spelling. 
Monday — Words on board to study. Look up definitions for words 

underlined. Written spelling. 
Tuesday — Words on board (fruits and nuts). Look up definitions for 

words underlined. Spell orally. 
Wednesday — Words pertaining to Thanksgiving. Make a sentence 
with each word. Written spelling. 

Reading. 

Monday — Part "VII, Miles Standish. Look up following words for pro- 
nunciation and meaning: trend, sulphurous, flonted, chaffed, con- 
stellation, parley, trenchant, chaffer, vauntingly, whetting, sinis- 
ter, chronicles, fiendlike, averted, valor. 

Tuesday — Part VIII. Read for expression. Look up following words: 
merestead, glebe, apprehension, contrition, brackish, substantial, 
ruminate, pennyroyal, subtile, dexterous, palfrey, devious. 
References to: Goliath of Goth; Og of Bashan; Sliips of Merchants, 
Merestead, Bertha, Helvetia. 

Wednesday — Part IX. Finish. — Resplendent, pomegranates, laver, sanc- 
tion, apparation, phantom, atoning, commingled, adage, azure. 
Wedding of Routh and Boaz; Eshcal; Rebecca and Isaac. 

English. 
Monday — Nov. 23, Letter writing. Study of different parts of letter 

and punctuation. 
Tuesday — Have pupils write letter about subject given in book. Also 

write one about any subject. 
Wednesday — Depends on above — if letters are well written, we will 

take up more letters. If not same will have to be rewritten. 

Spelling. 
Give definitions for the following — absence, trellis, bargain, catkin, 
cherub, baggage, atom, axle, cleat, firkin. What is a homonym? 
Give homonyms and definitions for the following words — blue, isle, 
pain, claws, stile, loan, hole, earn, core, whirl. 
25 words pronounced for written spelling. 

Hygiene 
T. 
What is Hygiene? physiology? anatomy? 

II. 
What is an organ? What is meant by a function of an organ? 

III. 
Of what is bone composed? How many bones are there in the body? 

IV. 
Name and describe two different kinds of joints. 

V. 
Name and describe two great kinds of muscles. 

VI. 
What can you say about the amount of physical exercise needed? 
When is the best time to exercise? 

VII. 
How do alcohol and tobacco affect the muscles? 

VIII. 
Name the four great classes of foods. 

IX. 
What Is meant by condiments? 

X. 
Name five foods that contain the most nourishment. 

These plans show the character of the instruction and the course 
of study fairly well. They are plans embodying (1) The mechanics 
of the subjects pursued, and (2) a body of information academically 
arranged. The tools of learning are made very prominent by their 
presence, rather than by their uses. One searches in vain to find 
a single instance of local use. Arithmetic is pursued but nowhere 
is there any evidence that fractions, percentages, interest, etc., have 
been used as instruments in solving home problems, industrial 
problems, mercantile problems, or community problems in Port Town- 
send. The geography is not used at all to interpret the local geo- 
graphical conditions. The composition themes are not concerned 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 55 

with questions of community interest to the children and people 
of the town. The grammar is taught as a subject in itself and 
is not at any time conscientiously used as a corrective in perfecting 
the pupils' compositions or as an instrument to unlock the thought 
of the printed page. Spelling words, for the most part, are taken 
from the spelling book, except in the lower grades, where they are 
chosen from the reading lesson. In some instances they are chosen 
from the geography, history, reading and other lessons. Two teachers 
of the upper grades apparently followed the practice of selecting 
misspelled words from the pupils compositions, and after these were 
exhausted, they selected words which the pupils would be liable to use 
in their future compositions and letters. This practice should be 
followed by all the teachers, for there is little value in spelling words 
not being used or not likely to be used soon by the pupils. The 
history work seems to have no present day application. A class in 
eighth grade civil government studies the government of the state of 
Washington, the county, city, etc., but as carried on, it is concerned 
with the machinery of government, the dry technical details of vot- 
ing, duties of officers, etc. There is no attempt to study the civics 
of the community and the state from the point of view of making 
better citizens and better community conditions. What is needed in 
that course is a textbook like Dunn's Community and the Citizen 
interpreted in terms of Port Townsend and the state.* 

The course of study in the elementary school in all of its parts 
impresses one as so much quantitative requirement from day to day, 
imported from a foreign realm. The work consists in blocking off 
so much each day to accomplish. A state course of study, or a 
county course of study, or a text book course, can never be a vital 
one for a community. At best, such courses can only indicate the 
minimum mechanics which pupils should be able to use after finish- 
ing a given grade of work, and a minimum of common academic knowl- 
edge which the pupils should possess to be ordinary intelligent 
citizens. The local teachers and superintendent must determine the 
use to be made of the tool knowledge. The whole question of 
vitalizing instruction is up to them. In fact, the school that fails 
to do this, fails to organize the mechanics of the course and the pupils 
fail to attain the minimum course required by the state. When the 
mechanics of a course are not put to the test of use or personal adjust- 
ment of some kind, one thing tends to become as important as another 
to the pupils, and nothing is very important. 

The only discernible ideas of organization found in the outlines 
of the various branches are those of drill, repetition, chronological 
sequence, logical sequence of the textbook, memorizing, general in- 
formation and physical expression. One or another of these ideas is 
prominent in the various parts of the outlines, but they do not appear 
to have any essential interrelationships. The following sets of eighth 

•It was learned that this book had been introduced, but the teachers 
were unable to use it. 



'S9 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

grade examination questions will illustrate some of the above char- 
acteristics of the course of study: 

Illustrating general information idea and to a limited extent, 
chronological sequence — 

1. Who invented the cotton gin? How did it aflfect slavery? 

2. Name five Americans that were prominent in the Revolu- 
tionary war. 

3. Give the time, cause and result of the Mexican war, 

4. How did the United States acquire Alaska, Louisiana, 
Hawaii, Porto Rico? 

5. Discuss the Missouri Compromise or the Compromise of 
1850. 

6. With what are the following dates associated: 1619, 1620, 
1775, 1787, 1803? 

7. What did each of the following men discover: Cabot, 
Hudson, Champlain, Lewis. 

8. What was the Dred Scott Decision? 

9. Name the European countries that have claimed parts of 
the U. S. 

10. Give an incident connected with each of the following: 
Robert Morris, Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr, Jefferson 
Davis, George Dewey. 

11. How many U. S. Senators are sent from each state? 

Illustrating logical sequence of the text book — 

1. Describe the teeth — (a) composition; (b) sets and number 
in each; (c) names. 

2. What is the alimentary canal? Mention the various parts 
of the canal. 

3. Describe the small and large intestines. 

4. What are the salivary glands? What is saliva and of what 
use is it? 

5. Describe the small and large intestines. 

6. What is gastric juice and of what use is it? 

7. What is meant by secretion? Excretion? 

8. Describe the liver. How does bile help digestion? 

9. Describe the spleen. 

10. Describe in full (a) when we should eat; (b) what we 
should eat; (c) how much we should eat. 

Illustrating memorizing and general literary information — 

1. Name an American writer and tell something of his life. 
Name three of his writings. 

2. Tell who wrote the following: 1, America; 2, Psalm of 



COURSE OF STUDY AND INSTRUCTION 67 

Life; S, Gettysburg Address; 4, Thanatopsis; 5, Star 
Spangled Banner. 

3. Write one verse of the Psalm of Life. 

4. Tell whether the following are American or English: 
Tennyson, Shakespeare, Whittier, Kipling, Milton. 

5. Give a selection from each of the following: Eugene Field, 
Washington Irving, James Whitcomb Riley, W. C. Bryant, 
H. W. Longfellow. 

The eighth grade questions, also, reveal several obsolete require- 
ments that should be eliminated. A number of questions in grammar 
require the formal parsing of nouns and the conjugation of verbs. 
In arithmetic greatest common divisor, and least common multiple, 
are taught as distinct divisions of the subject. Problems in ab- 
stract complex fractions and roots are emphasized. The greatest 
defect in the course of study and instruction consists in its haphazard, 
memoriter character. The idea seems to be to memorize pieces of 
information of general importance. 

Again, the defects in instruction point to the need of super- 
vision. The instruction measured in terms of the pupils' initiative and 
organizing activities ranks very low. The course of study measured 
in terms of social and individual adjustment ranks low. Because 
it lacks in this respect, it fails to develop the subjects as good in- 
struments for the future use of the pupils. 

The greatest strength of the elementary school course consists in 
its emphasis upon the aesthetic. The children from the first to 
the eighth grade inclusive, sing a great deal, recite a great deal 
of choice poetry, and dramatize a number of selections. The folk- 
dancing of the primary grades is very well done. The drawing and 
painting of the pupils on the whole is good. Other forms of hand 
work, especially in the grammar grades, are well done. Much credit 
is due the present principal for developing these lines of school 
work. 

The general discipline of the school is good. Pupils are orderly 
in marching to and from rooms and their conduct on the playgrounds 
is usually good. The pupils are taught good manners by example 
and precept. In the judgment of the writer, however, the prin- 
cipal tends to carry certain forms of manners beyond the point of 
genuine spontaneity. It does not seem to be in the interests of good 
manners, nor of good work for the principal to greet the entire room 
and require the concert greeting of the class in return whenever she 
enters the room. The pupils are strong in flag salutes and patriotic 
airs, but on the other hand there is very little study of what consti- 
tutes practical citizenship. 

With two exceptions the discipline in the rooms is good. The 
lack of good order in these two cases was due in part, without doubt, 
to the methods of instruction employed. An assignment of a geog- 
raphy lesson in the 6B grade proceeded as follows: The teacher read 



68 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

a rather long statement to the class from the geography textbook. 
This assignment amounted practically to a preliminary reading of 
the lesson by the teacher. During the reading pupils gave very poor 
attention. "Now I want you to take those topics at the end of the 
lesson and be able to write on them." A spirit of rebellion on the part 
of the pupils was very noticeable. The teacher talked too loud and 
too much. Her plan seemed to be to drive them to this work. Butj 
she was unsuccessful in this, because she is naturally of a kindly 
disposition and lacks that sternness of character which secures 
obedience through the fear motive. By adopting the method of con- 
trol which is incompatible with her temperament, it became neces- 
sary for her to follow up her commands with much fault finding. She 
was compelled to reprove the children a great deal of the time. 
"What did I tell you those were !" "Irene, I want you to put your 
book down on the desk." "Tony, I want you to put your book 
down on the desk." When there was no trouble, there was trouble 
brewing. The other instance of poor control was observed in the 8th 
grade boys civics class. The lesson was on the powers and duties of 
county officers. There was no interest in the subject. The teacher 
proceeded to catechise the class on what they didn't know. "I want 
each one to have this paragraph on taxes." "Tell us, Joe, about tax 
receipts." Joe languidly mumbled out the obvious. "Tell us about 
delinquencies." No one ventured an opinion. "Class, look up on de- 
linquencies." "The probate cases, Victor, you may read." "Boys, 
do you want to be excused from class .^" "The Sheriff, John, — 
what about his salary.^" "The County Superintendent.^" At this 
point time was up and the boys were dismissed amid the slipping and 
bumping of chairs. 

In conclusion it is clear that there is a great deal of poor teach- 
ing in the elementary school, yet there is not one in the building 
who could not become a satisfactory teacher under a strong system 
of supervision. The criticisms made upon the work of the teachers 
are criticisms upon the administration and supervision of the schools 
quite as much as upon the teachers themselves. The board of edu- 
cation must come to understand that nothing approaching efficiency in 
instruction can be reached without good supervision. 



The High School Course and Instruction 

ACADEMIC BRANCHES 

The curriculum of the high school is arranged on the traditional 
plan of parallel courses followed by the State Board of Education. 
The criticisms which follow will not, therefore, apply exclusively to 
the Port Townsend high school. One admirable feature of the cur- 
riculum not usually found in places the size of Port Townsend, is the 
introduction of, and the emphasis placed upon, the social branches. 
Under the heading of English and Social Service are found civics, 



HIGH SCHOOL COURSE AND INSTRUCTION 59 

hygiene, economics, and sociology. Under present conditions the in- 
clusion of common branches for certain students who are not going 
to college, and for those who expect to teach after high school gradu- 
ation is a good provision. On the other hand it is very doubtful 
whether the work in psychology is wise. In the writer's judgment 
the same time spent developing good methods of study in the common 
as well as the other branches of the high school would be far more 
valuable to the students. In other words, if the superintendent would 
use the time spent in preparing for the lessons of this branch and 
the time spent in the recitation in securing better methods of study 
in the high school the results would be far greater. In teaching the 
common branches with the view of preparing teachers it would be a 
better plan to teach the method of these branches in the branches 
themselves. In a high school which must necessarily be conducted 
with a minimum number of teachers it is important to economize 
time by reducing the number of branches and by improving the qual- 
ity of the work in each branch. The branches should be enriched, 
rather than multiplied. The end to be gained in high school psychol- 
ogy of this sort is to secure a knowledge of the tools of study and the 
ability to use them. To attempt to do this by pursuing a separate 
course at the expense of time which could be better used in the in- 
terests of all the pupils of the high school is unwarranted. In this 
opinion, however, not all the committee concur. 

Again, under the present conditions, the course in economics 
should be reorganized. There should be studies in community finance 
and to some extent, possibly, the finance of industry, but this can be 
better done in the civics course. The course in sociology should, also, 
be reorganized, and social problems should be included in civics. A 
course in civics is a much broader term than civil government. It 
might be a good plan to have a full year's course in civics. The ap- 
plication of this principle of eliminating branches and saving their 
essential features for the enrichment of other branches could, no doubt, 
be extended further in reorganizing the high school curriculum of 
Port Townsend. 

It would greatly simplify the curriculum of the high school if 
the traditional arrangement of courses were thrown over and a new 
one based upon other principles than the arbitrary classification 
of knowledge, discipline, college entrance, with a side concession 
to manual training, domestic science and commercial branches. 

How would it do for the superintendent of a place like Port 
Townsend, working with his principal and teachers, to formulate a 
curriculum based as far as practicable on the following principles? 
First, the need for every high school student to become independent 
and effective in his school work; second, the need of all students for 
a common knowledge; third, the need of preparing each student for 
his vocational or professional destination. 

Rarely do high school students become investigators or have the 
attitude of investigators. The curiosity exhibited by pupils of the 



IBO SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

primary grades either no longer exists or is no longer concerned 
with school work. The stint method combined with the ordinary class 
room procedure of the question and answer method exists. The rate 
of speed in pursuing a subject in the ninth grade seems to be about 
the same as that of the twelfth. The main facts of the subject are 
learned and discussed and reproduced upon examination. The class 
is always led by the teacher, text book or outline. The student is the 
task performer and the teacher is the taskmaster. The primary duty 
of the teacher ought to be, first, to attempt to arrange study and 
recitation conditions in such a way as to stimulate the maximum of 
independent activity, second, to make the student conscious of his 
methods of study and to realize his defects. How can a student learn 
to use effective methods of study unless he knows his methods and 
realizes the necessity for improvement? 

There is coming to be considerable interest manifested over the 
country in the necessity for better study in the high schools. Various 
experiments are being tried and others suggested. Perhaps the ex- 
periment that is attracting most attention at the present time is the 
Newark supervised study plan. The school day is lengthened but 
practically all the students' studying is done in the school. Each 
period is from 50 to 60 minutes long and is divided into halves, the 
first half being used for recitation purposes, the second half for 
study in the same room and with the same teacher who conducts the 
recitation. The recitation is conducted in such a way as to assist in 
setting the problems for the study period. The teacher is present 
not to do the work for the students, but to see that they have facilities 
and right conditions for effective work. An effort is made to arrange 
study conditions in such a way that students will be stimulated to 
find problems and solve them. This is known as the problem method 
of instruction. 

The amount of real reflective thinking done by high school 
students is very small. No doubt there is value in the loose associa- 
tion of facts, in the formation of opinions on the basis of imagina- 
tion, feeling, suggestion, but pupils should know that conclusions de- 
rived from such untested grounds are invalid and cannot be relied 
upon. They ought to know what reflective thinking is in any subject 
which they are pursuing. To assist the student in problem finding, 
problem solving and in becoming problem minded should be the first 
duty of the teacher and the performance of this duty must start 
with the arrangement of the course of study. When we squarely 
face this question, the particular amount of any subject to be covered 
in a given time becomes relatively unimportant. Is the student im- 
proving his study methods and in this improvement is he becoming 
aware of the instruments necessary for a still better control of the 
subject?* 

In the next place, the curriculum should be arranged to furnish 

•Johnston — The Modern High School. Chapters IX, X. 
Lull — Inherited Tenflencies of Secondary Education in the U. S. Pp. 
238-256. 



HIGH SCHOOL COURSE AND INSTRUCTION « 

a necessary common knowledge. The time is nearly arrived when the 
constants of the high school curriculum will no longer consist of a 
corps of subjects for disciplinary purposes, for general polite cultural 
purposes, vocational purposes, or professional purposes. The con- 
stants of the curriculum should be only those lines of work that are 
so important for all that every high school student should be required 
to pursue them. When we view the question in this way the number 
of subjects and amount of each subject, will be greatly reduced. 
We should all agree that at least three years of English should be in- 
cluded, since English is so important as the medium of communication 
and understanding. For citizenship purposes we should agree that 
every student should have one year of United States history, also, at 
least one year of civics which will include a great deal more than a 
study of governmental machinery. It should include a study of many 
social, economic, and civic problems. We should agree that at least 
one half year of personal and public hygiene should be given. So far 
this list of constants seems undebatable. It still may be debatable 
whether all girls should have at least one year in home economics. 
Personally, the writer would require such a course. Then, there are 
two other subjects, viz., mathematics and science that are of doubtful 
value as constants. Unless mathematics can be made to come out of 
its seclusion and become a real instrument for solving important social 
problems, then it will come to be omitted from the prescribed subjects. 
It is usually conceded now that any science may be prescribed. This 
is the beginning of a movement for no prescribed science unless a 
general science course of high practical value is provided. 

All other subjects should be placed in the elective list, not to 
elect by a "helter-skelter" method, but with one or more life pur- 
poses in mind. They should be put in the curriculum to assist in 
realizing vocational, professional and avocational purposes. These 
subjects are not to be excluded from the prescribed list because they 
are less important, but because they are not of universal importance. 
Indeed, as instruments in realizing a particular purpose, they are of 
highest importance, for vocational, professional, and avocational pur- 
poses, but they should be evaluated and taught with the appropriate 
purpose in mind. 

The provision for the subjects for election should be made as far 
as possible to meet the demands of the community for training in 
the three important fields mentioned above. No high school 
student should be graduated without some training in the so-called 
cultural branches, but it is not necessary that he pursue a par- 
ticular foreign language or indeed, any foreign language. He may 
find sufficient cultural study in his own language. By cultural here 
I mean only those subjects taken for an avocational purpose. On 
the other hand the same branches may be taken for vocational or 
professional reasons, and when so pursued they may have a high 
cultural value also. But the point is that students desire to do some 



62 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

things just because they are curious or interested in them or because 
they enjoy them. 

Again the branches to be pursued for vocational and profes- 
sional purposes are only elective in the sense that their purposes 
demand a different grouping of branches to meet the needs of a variety 
of vocations. The constant endeavor should be to assist students to 
find themselves in the vocations. The determination of the voca- 
tional purposes of each student will in turn determine the branches and 
the character of the work to be done in them by the student. 

By using the foregoing principles in forming the high school 
curriculum, real economies, educational as well as financial, will be 
effected. 

The same lack of definite principles in organizing the curriculum 
reappears in the class room instruction of the high school. A few 
recitations observed will serve to illustrate this defect. 

A recitation in ancient history: — The work done in class was 
purely narrative. The recitation was conducted by the topical method. 
After a student finished narrating his topic, it was supplemented by 
others of the class. A great deal of confusion existed while the sup- 
plementing was going on. A large number of the students were 
anxious to recite their topics. When one finished his topic, several 
began snapping their fingers to gain recognition for making cor- 
rections. A heated dispute arose as to whether the Romans went 
against the Carthaginians with a fleet or not. At this point the teacher 
said, "Perhaps we better turn to page 411. Take the very first 
paragraph. Was this a fleet or not.^" A confusing discussion followed 
based upon a lack of clear statements made by pupils. Another topical 
recitation followed and another confused dispute arose over non- 
essentials. At this time the plan of recitation changed. An outline 
was dictated to the class by a student, the purpose being to give a re- 
view of the work. The plan was that each student should prepare 
some portion of the review and dictate it to the other members of the 
class for them to copy into their note books. This method of review 
wouldn't be so bad if all students of the class would do all of the out- 
lining independently and then compare results with each other. As 
it was, the review simply consisted in a retracing of the steps formerly 
taken by the class and not a reorganization of the course. The teacher 
explained to the observer that the topical method was adopted because 
of the poor work done when the question and answer method was fol- 
lowed. 

Class in plane geometry: — A student explained a theorem demon- 
stration, the teacher giving all difficult points and concluding the 
work by asking one question requiring an obvious answer. Then she 
asked, "Are there any questions.^" No questions were asked. The 
next demonstration was taken up. In all of the work the class and 
teacher kept strictly to the line of demonstrations given by the text. 
The student sat in his seat while giving demonstration. There was 
no discussion to bring out the best method of demonstration. A 



HIGH SCHOOL COURSE AND INSTRUCTION 63 

few students went to the board to copy some exercises which thev 
had previously worked out, while the teacher drilled the students on 
the statement of theorems previously demonstrated. Apparently there 
was not enough of this kind of work to fill the time for they waited 
unoccupied a short time for the students at the board to finish their 
exercises. Then the teacher asked the same questions as before, and 
the same answers were returned. Finally the students at the board 
were ready to demonstrate. The demonstrations were completed with- 
out pause or question. Class dismissed. 

Class in solid geometry: — The teacher interrupted demonstration 
with too many interjections. There should be a period of free expres- 
sion followed up with critical questions, in which the class as well 
as the teacher should take part. The teacher was too anxious to 
lead by being first in everything. The assignment of the lesson 
was made by naming the propositions and making a few cautions. 
However, this teacher seems to secure good results in plane geometry. 
Her instruction in German is very well done. Students begin to use 
the German language at once as the medium of communication in class, 
and during the second year's work English words are rarely used. 
There is a fine interest in the class and the students do good active 
thinking. 

Class in civics: — The teacher did the reciting: "Colonial powers 
of governors. Early colonial policy." "Laissez faire policy. Why?" 
"The relation between England and the colonies began to be im- 
portant during the Commonwealth period." "When did England 
begin to get imperial control?" 'The relation during the ministry of 
Walpole was one of salutary neglect. What followed this period of 
neglect?" "What was the system of representation? What can you 
say of the representation of the boroughs? Was it equal? Aristo- 
cratic? This was called what? The rotten borough system?" 
"Yes, the rotten borough system." Thus the instructor continued to 
ask a lot of small informational questions and then answered them 
himself. Why not put a thought provoking question at the beginning 
by asking the difference in the representative system growing up in 
the colonies from that of England. Such a question put clearly, and 
held to, would provoke more real thinking than all of the numerous 
questions asked by the instructor. Thus, he continued: "Well, how 
about the districts from which we send representatives? Must they 
be inhabitants of the districts from which they are sent?" 

Composition lesson: — Compositions in oration form were written 
by the pupils and read by the teacher before the class for criticism. 
The point of criticism was on the introduction. The boys disturbed 
by talking to each other. Finally the teacher said, "I'll excuse you 
from the room if you don't stop your talking." There was too much 
sparring with the teacher and the work was not taken seriously by 
the pupils. 

Lesson in arithmetic in the common branches course: — Clearing 
Tip of minor difficulties at the beginning. Problem 21 was taken up, 



«4 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

for all of the class had had trouble with it. A few pertinent questions 
were asked by the teacher, "Does this give a hint?" It did give a hint 
to some. Then a few more questions were asked by the teacher, 
leaving considerable opportunity for the pupils still to think out the 
problem. All pupils worked out the problem. The lesson for the 
next day was assigned: Page 256, Problems 1, 2, 3, and 4; Page 
257, Problems 5, 6, 7, 8, 9." "Pass to the board." "I want to give 
you a problem that you have had before," It was quickly solved by 
all. The relative merits of methods used by different students was 
commented on by the teacher. Class dismissed. The first part of 
the lesson was good. The assignment was poor. The last part of 
the lesson was thrown in but the comparison of methods used was 
meritorious. On the whole, it was a good lesson. 

There are six teachers including the superintendent in this high 
school. All of them are good students in the subjects they teach. Four 
of these teachers are doing good work; two are doing poor work. 
Four are generally liked by the high school students ; two are gen- 
erally not liked by the students. Four are sympathetic with their 
students; two are unsympathetic. Four have a sense of humor with 
their students ; two lack in this respect. One of the two makes many 
threats and almost never carries them out. This one could be sympa- 
thetic and a successful teacher by getting a radically different idea of 
teaching and by working under a different set of conditions. Lack 
of sympathy and humor was born with the other one. This one is 
eminently just, clean, pure and conventional, but cold and wearying. 

INSTRUCTION IN MANUAL TRAINING AND DOMESTIC SCIENCE 

The work in manual training is well done. Special emphasis is 
given to the construction of useful articles as well as ornamental. 

The work in domestic science is apparently well done, although 
it should be expanded more along useful lines. The department is in- 
stalled in the elementary school building which is too far away for 
many children to go home for lunch, hence there are a large number of 
children carrying cold lunches. Arrangements should be made by the 
department to serve hot lunches to the children. Besides rendering an 
excellent service, the serving of lunches would afford an excellent 
practical laboratory for the high school girls electing the domestic 
science course. 



HIGH SCHOOL COURSE AND INSTRUCTION 



65 



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66 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Extra Classroom Activities of Students 

This is a very important phase of education that is often rele- 
gated to a position far beneath that one it should properly fill. 
Classroom activities alone do not build boys and girls into efficient 
citizens. This needs no demonstration to anyone who has devoted any 
time whatever to thinking of the number of factors it takes to make 
up the really beneficial member of the social body. Such a one must 
have a social consciousness — must have a spirit of loyalty and of 
helpfulness toward the organization of which he is a member, whether 
that organization be his club, his city, his country or his race. He 
must be able to meet his fellow beings socially and be able to under- 
stand them and to make them understand him through breadth of 
sympathy and ease of social contact. He must know the problems 
which his organization faces, must be able to consider intelligently 
these problems and must have sufficient knowledge to be able to apply 
solutions at proper times and places. And he must have a healthy 
body and mind in order to do his work in the world. 

In the school system of Port Townsend, as in every other school 
system, we are training boys and girls for efficient citizenship and yet 
are often liable to forget to develop all of the needed factors except 
the one of acquiring data that are of no value to one who has not 
learned how to use them. This state of affairs must be changed. Men 
and women all over the country are realizing this, and the various 
other factors besides data accumulation in education are coming into 
their own. Port Townsend must fall in with this spirit of all-round 
development if it is going to turn out men and women able to hold 
their places in the world of tomorrow. 

In order to develop efficient men and women, the writer con- 
siders that four phases of life must be attended to in the training of the 
younger generation. They must be developed into physically healthy 
men and women; they must be given a healthy social atmosphere 
in which to develop a proper relationship to their fellowmen; 
they must be given an interest in community problems, and they 
must be given a body of knowledge with which to work. The last 
factor is dealt with in the classroom. It is with the means of in- 
culcating the first three of these characteristics in the school 
children of Port Townsend through proper attention to their extra- 
classroom activities that this section will be devoted. The writer will 
first take up the student activities, such as athletics, debate, etc., then 
the student social life in their various meeting places, and last, student 
participation in community life. The values of each factor will be 
discussed from the writer's viewpoint and helpful suggestions will be 
made wherever possible. 

STUDENT ACTIVITIES 

Athletics is the general heading under which we can treat that 
phase of school activity which deals with the development of healthy 
physical bodies. 



EXTRA CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS 67 

Concentration upon a few students to the neglect of the many 
is the chief weakness of school athletics as it has been carried on 
in the schools of this country. Port Townsend, like many other 
places where the broader idea of athletics has not gained firm recog- 
nition, develops more or less strong football, baseball, and basket- 
ball teams, etc., in its high school, but these teams only train those 
who are least in need of training, — some twenty-five or thirty who 
are already the most physically fit. For the unfit there is no at- 
tempt made to do anything to put them into the ranks of the fit. 

Back of this condition in the high school lies that all-pervading 
evil of the mere desire to win something — to beat someone else. In 
the struggle to do this we are prone to forget many more important 
things. In the struggle we forget true sportsmanship, fair play and 
a chance for all; we forget morality; we forget those who are in- 
capable of standing at the top in the contests that take place. This 
attitude of any sacrifice to win is built up by the emphasis placed upon 
a few teams who go out from the school and win victories and laurels 
for the school. They do not go as true representatives of the physical 
standard of the school but as representatives of the time and energy 
the school is willing to spend in order to "beat the other fellow." This 
standard and this attitude must be eliminated before athletics will 
be used for the high purpose of increasing the physical standards of 
the race. We must make the average physical development the stand- 
ard by which we judge a school athletically and not the success of a 
few teams upon which too much time and energy have been expended 
for their own good, overdeveloping them physically at the expense of 
the other factors in their education. 

Instead of a few teams for inter-school competitions and a great 
dearth of athletic apparatus for the students in general, Port 
Townsend should provide its high school with sufficient apparatus for 
every student to take part in some form of exercise. At present the 
high school is provided with a pair of standards for jumping, and a 
vaulting pole, while at the grade school there is one turning bar, and 
seven or eight teeter boards. The high school students should be 
furnished with every form of simple apparatus that can be used under 
present conditions. Complex apparatus is, of course, impossible with- 
out a gymnasium, which is much needed but cannot be provided for 
some time to come. And besides providing sufficient apparatus for all, 
an enthusiasm for physical development should be encouraged in the 
school. Inter-class contests should be carried on and assemblies 
should be enlivened with talks, short and snappy, on the benefits to be 
derived from athletics. 

This latter subject, that of arousing a proper spirit, will be treated 
later, but there is one phase of it that fits in right here and takes us 
back beyond the high school and into the grades. It is here that the 
real constructive work in building a proper attitude toward physical 
development should be carried on. It is pretty difficult to take young 
people of the high school age, inclined toward sedentary lives, and 



68 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

develop enough feeling in regard to exercise to overcome their 
tendency to neglect this very necessary factor in their development. 
It is in the grades, when the child is most plastic that this should be 
inculcated. The children should be taught to consider the taking of 
sufficient exercise as absolutely essential and as natural as the wash- 
ing of the body or the brushing of the teeth. If this were impressed 
upon them in the grades by talks in the classrooms and some inter- 
ested supervision of their play, the problem for high school and col- 
lege students would be well on toward solution. With a good, live 
superintendent, who was given sufficient time for supervision, this 
might well be carried out in Port Townsend and a healthier, keener 
body of men and women would be sent out into the world to the 
betterment of Port Townsend or any other place they happened to go. 
There is another phase of extra-classroom activities that covers 
perhaps even a broader field than athletics. This is debate. But be- 
cause the writer wishes to consider its possibilities in regard to the 
various other factors to be treated, he will reserve its discussion for 
a paragraph preceding the general treatment of the development of 
school spirit and will first speak of student social life and community 
interest. 

SOCIAL LIFE 

To give to students a proper amount of social activity in order 
to develop their abilities to meet and mix with their fellow men easily 
and sympathetically and yet not to let them develop into social snobs 
or empty-minded sycophants is a serious problem that should be 
given careful consideration by everyone who has anything to do with 
the training of young people. In order to accomplish the desired 
result the writer considers that the fundamental object should be 
to encourage all good, clean, healthy social affairs that will bring 
the students together as a whole and to discourage as much as possible 
those affairs among the students that tend to build cliques and to divide 
the student body into an elect and an outcast group. 

In Port Townsend the type of social life that divides the students 
is predominant and this is principally due to the actions of the school 
board, which has taken a very peculiar attitude toward social life in 
the schools. The students now have parties in their homes among 
certain cliques, which are very good in their way, but do not go 
far toward the social development of the students as a group. They 
also have beach parties, hay rides, etc., more or less secret, among 
the groups of socially elect. These are of a rather doubtful value 
for obvious reasons. There are also two dancing clubs to which 
numerous high school students belong and which are more or less 
exclusive and do not tend to bring the school together as a whole. 
So far as real school affairs are concerned, they are practically con- 
fined now to class picnics once a year and what meetings are held for 
other activities such a debate, athletics, etc. There have been until 
recently class parties which were pretty good in their nature so far 



EXTRA CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES OP STUDENTS 69 

as the members of the separate classes were concerned, but these have 
been stopped because some of the students gave way to their natural 
inclinations and danced at one of the parties. This prohibition of 
the only social affairs that were left to the students was a very short- 
sighted policy on the part of those in authority. A much wiser and 
more far-seeing course would have been to recognize the demand 
among both students and teachers for a natural outlet for their social 
desires through the dance and to have withdrawn from the position 
taken a couple of years ago when school dances were prohibited. 
Dances, properly supervised, are the most healthy and most uni- 
versal of all forms of social activity. At dances the students learn 
to practice those little niceties of etiquette that mark the well-bred 
man or woman. If the dances are properly conducted the students 
meet upon a common ground and learn to know each other and to 
meet each other on an easy footing. The dance has been, throughout 
history, a popular form of entertainment and is today the most uni- 
versally participated in of all social affairs. These facts must be 
recognized and instead of attempting to stop the flow of so mighty a 
stream, we should realize that it will flow despite our efforts and 
should attempt to guide it and make it productive of the greatest good 
that is in it, eliminating its evils. School dances, as they were formerly 
conducted, brought a great many of the students together on a com- 
mon ground and also gave the school funds for carrying on other 
activities. Both these results have been lost through the action of 
the school board. There is more dancing than ever, but it does not 
bring the school together and the funds are lost to the school which 
could well use them to help out in financing its activities. It is a 
peculiar anomaly that the same body of men that is spending money 
and time in the development of folk dancing in the grade schools, will 
forbid and hold up their hands in horror against the same thing done 
voluntarily in the high school in a slightly different form. Do they 
imagine that the children taught the grace and beauty of dancing in 
the grades will immediately stop dancing when they reach the high 
school.'' They may demand graceful dances, but they will surely 
dance. Parties, dances, and student gatherings of various types 
should be encouraged instead of discouraged, but they should be 
provided for in the school where they can be conducted under the 
best supervision and where they tend to draw the students together 
rather than to put them apart into cliques. 

COMMUNITY INTEREST 

Let us now consider another phase of education outside of what 
are generally termed "classroom" activities, although a considerable 
portion of it must be handled in the classroom. The phase spoken of 
is that of arousing a proper interest among the students in community 
activities and problems. We are all very prone to look up>on students 
as entirely disconnected with the real life work going on about them 
and simply cramming in a lot of data about nothing that is really 



70 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

worth anything right here and now. And, to a certain extent this 
would be true criticism of the schools, but it is a criticism that we are 
trying to obviate. It is up to the people in Port Townsend to help 
the school to make this criticism untrue, at least in their own com- 
munity. It must always be borne in mind that the students in the 
schools of today are the citizens of tomorrow with the same problems 
to face that are now being faced by their fathers and mothers. To 
learn only generalizations with no active participation in the solving 
of problems is not the best training for them. The students should 
be given every possible opportunity to study and help in the solution 
of vital problems in the community. It may be found that their young 
minds will react to the very great benefit of Port Townsend. Civic 
organizations should do all that is in their power to encourage the 
students to think upon the problems they face. This could be done 
by offering prizes for the best essays upon subjects of local interest, 
by encouraging debate upon these subjects and in various other ways 
that would soon suggest themselves if the matter were undertaken 
seriously. Give the students as many avenues as possible for the use 
of the data they are accumulating and they will not only accumulate 
the data more efficiently because of the vital interest that will attach 
to it but will leave school with a knowledge of the situation they are 
to face and an ability to deal with that situation. 

SCHOOL SPIRIT 

The most efficient way that the writer knows of to create the at- 
titude desired in a school is through debate work. Port Townsend 
has been able to turn out a good debate team this year, but that team 
went off and debated the proposition of "single tax for local pur- 
poses," a proposition in which Port Townsend is not in the least bit 
interested at present. Consider though, what could be done with this 
debating ability. How many live topics are there connected with the 
development of Port Townsend along various lines that might be taken 
up in the high school and debated upon? People would turn out 
to hear such debates and to hear both sides of the various questions 
presented. And, in the school itself there are many issues in which 
the students are the most vitally interested parties and which they 
would discuss with great animation. Good, snappy debating on such 
subjects would develop a student solidarity. It would make them 
think. It would give them a feeling of having some share in the 
running of the game and would help them to develop into strong men 
and women. A debate on the question — "Resolved, that inter-class 
athletics should be developed in the high school," would be far more 
interesting and thought provoking to the students than, "Resolved, 
that the pen is mightier than the sword." What do the students care 
about such a question as the latter one way or the other? It is 
purely academic and gets no one anywhere. There is much material 
in Port Townsend high school for a good live debating club that 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 71 

could do some real work in developing school spirit as well as com- 
munity interest in the school and its problems. 

Another good way to develop school spirit is by means of a 
school paper, with which Port Townsend is well supplied. The Wa-Wa 
is a good snappy paper with great possibilities for good in the school. 
It should be given every encouragement. 

One other factor that would do much to build up a healthy 
esprit de corps in the schools is the setting aside of certain days or 
of declaring special holidays upon which every student and member 
of the faculty would get out and work in the fixing up of the grounds 
and buildings. Each student could bring a shovel, a rake or a 
hammer from home and the grounds could be gone over, the terraces 
smoothed off, the tennis court put in condition, loose boards nailed 
on, etc. Lunch could be provided by the girls and a very good time 
could be had while doing some very necessary work in the beautifi- 
cation of the school surroundings. Such a day does more to build 
good feeling among the students than all the lectures that could be 
crammed into them. 

The writer of this section realizes that he has advised more than 
can be accomplished at one time, but it is to be hoped that the 
readers will realize more fully than before the need of attention to 
school activities that are not confined to the classroom. It may be 
taken for a fact that a healthy, satisfied, well-rounded, thinking student 
body will do better work in the classroom than will a student body 
that puts in all of its time on one side of life. 



The Quality of Instruction 

Measured by the Achievements of Pupils 

One of the best means of evaluating any kind of work is by a 
testing of the results. This method has recently come to be em- 
ployed in school work in a much more definite way than formerly, 
being made possible by the development of standards and tests in 
the different subjects. The problem of the quality of instruction has 
therefore been studied from the point of view of the results attained. 
This makes possible a comparison of the quality of instruction in the 
Port Townsend schools with that in other places. It also provides 
data for the study of progress from grade to grade and the range of 
abilities within grades. Tests were given in spelling, writing, arith- 
metic, reading, English and composition as described in the fol- 
lowing pages. 

SPELLING 

A test in spelling was given in grades II to VIII inclusive. 
The words used are given in Table I. These lists were prepared by 
Dr. Leonard P. Ayres for the Russell Sage Foundation. Mr. Ayres 



78? 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



explains their derivation as follows*: "The Division has conduct- 
ed studies to discover the 1,000 words most commonly used in 
writing and it has made these words into spelling lists with which 
children in nearly 100 American cities have been tested. From among 
these words 10 were chosen which this investigation has shown are 
on the average spelled correctly by 70 per cent of the children in the 
second grades of other cities. Similarly 10 words were chosen which 
children in the third grades of other cities spell on the average 70 
per cent correctly. In the same way 10 words were chosen for each 
of the other elementary grades, and in each case they were of such 
difficulty that on the average 7 out of 10 children spell them correctly, 
while three misspell them." 

The words were pronounced in each grade by the writer, care 
being taken that all the pupils understood each word. The papers 
were all scored by the writer or under his direct supervision. 

The results are shown in Table II. 



TABLE I 



Second 


Third 


Fourth 


Fifth 


Grade 


Grade 


Grade 


Grade 


foot 


fill 


forty 


several 


get 


point 


rate 


leaving 


for 


state 


children 


publish 


horse 


ready- 


prison 


o'clock 


out 


almost 


title 


running 


well 


high 


getting 


known 


name 


event 


need 


secure 


room 


done 


throw 


wait 


left 


pass 


feel 


manner 


with 


Tuesday- 


speak 


flight 



Sixth 


Seventh 


Eighth 


Grade 


Grade 


Grade 


decide 


district 


organization 


general 


consideration 


tariff 


manner 


athletic 


emergency 


too 


distinguish 


corporation 


automobile 


evidence 


convenience 


victim 


amendment 


receipt 


hospital 


liquor 


cordially 


neither 


experience 


discussion 


toward 


receive 


appreciation 


business 


conference 


decision 



•Leonard P. Ayres, The Public Schools of Springfield, Illinois. Division 
of Education, Russell Sage Foundation, New York City. 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 73 

TABLE II 

Standings of the Several Grades in the Spelling Tests. 



Grade 




Percent 




II 


54 




Ill 


43 




IV 


56 




V 


64 




VI 


61 




VII 


60 




VIII 


48 














55 













The percentages for the different grades range from 43 in the 
third to 64 in the fifth, the average for all grades being 55, Thus 
it is seen that the results of the teaching of spelling, as measured by 
this test, are much inferior to those reached in other cities, the stand- 
ard being 70. No grade comes within 5 points of the standard for 
the grade, and one, the third, falls 27 points below. The average for 
all the grades is just 15 points below the standard. Figure 1 shows 
these and additional facts in graphic form. 



FIGURE I 



The broken line represents the standings by grades for Port 
Townsend. The other lines as indicated show the averages for 
Seattle, Butte, twenty-two other cities, and Port Townsend respec- 
tively. 

Another feature of the results should be mentioned. Of the 
308 pupils tested, 23 spelled every word correctly, while 187 made a 
grade of only 60 per cent or less, and 11 spelled none correctly. 

These figures point to the need of varying the amount of drill 
in spelling according to the needs of the pupils. Obviously those 
who make a grade of 100 per cent in a test of this kind do not re- 
quire the same amount of drill as those who get 60 per cent or below. 
And if all are put through the same drill there will inevitably be great 
loss of time and energy and consequent loss of interest. By way of 
comparison with another school system where the test has been given 
the following figures are appended. 

Butte Port Townsend 

Per cent getting a standing of 100 22 7 

Per cent getting a standing of 60 or less.. 18 61 



74 survey of port townsend schools 

Figure 1 

SPELLING 

Percentage of Words Spelled Correctly 



Average 
for 

Seattle 

Average? 

for 

Butte 



70- 



Averagree 
for 

22 Cities; 



40 






SO \ 



40 



JO 



20 



♦. Average e 

^^ for 

..^...>» Port 

\ Townsene 



Grade 
Average: 



/O 



li 



m 



iX 



% 



YZr YSL 



WRITING 

Samples of writing were obtained from all pupils in grades II 
to VIII inclusive. The plan used was that outlined by Dr. Daniel 
Starch in the Journal of Educational Psychology, February, 1915. 
The pupils were required to write repeatedly the line, "Mary had a 
little lamb," as well as they could and as rapidly as they could for 
two minutes. The writer gave the test in all the grades, thus making 
sure that the same conditions were observed in all cases. 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 75 

The papers were scored for quality and speed in the following 
manner: For quality the Thorndike scale was used. Each paper 
was scored by three judges, two students in a course in Experimental 
Education, and the writer, each working independently of the others.* 
Then the average of the three scores was taken as the final grade 
for each paper. Speed was measured by computing the number of 
letters per minute. 

The results are shown in the accompanying table and figures. 
Table III shows the number of pupils of each grade attaining the 
different standings on the Thorndike scale. For example, in the sec- 
ond grade three pupils had a standing of 6, three a standing of 7, 
and so on. The median scores for each grade are indicated below. 
It will be seen from these median scores that the range from the 
second grade to the eighth is very small, being less than 2 points. 
There is comparatively little improvement in writing on the average 
from the second to the eighth grade. A glance at the table shows the 
great range of ability within each grade and the consequent overlap- 
ping of grades. These facts are brought out in Figure 2. The 
curves show the distribution of the pupils in each grade. The figures 
at the bottom represent the qualities on the Thorndike scale. It is 
plain that each grade greatly overlaps the grade next to it, and, in- 
deed, overlaps a large part of all the other grades. The extreme of 
this is shown in that the lower end of the curve for the eighth grade 
extends to the left of the median for the second grade. This means 
that the poorest pupil in the eighth grade is poorer than the average 
of the second grade. On the other hand, the best pupil in the sec- 
ond grade is better than the average pupil of the eighth grade. The 
medians, instead of marking fairly regular and considerable inter- 
vals to the right, are closely grouped, two, the second and the fourth, 
being identical. Expressed numerically these are the facts: In qual- 
ity of writing on the average 45 per cent of the pupils of any grade 
exceed the median of the next grade above it, 34 per cent exceed the 
median of the second grade above it, 21 per cent exceed the median 
of the third grade above it, 14 per cent exceed the median of the 
fourth grade above it, and 17 per cent exceed the median of the fifth 
grade above it. Expressed differently, on the average almost half (45 
per cent) of the pupils of any grade might be put in the grade next 
above it and they would there do a grade of work equal to that of the 
pupils in the upper half of the grade. To take a particular case, 
more than one-fourth (28 per cent) of the pupils in the second grade 
do better work in writing than the average pupil in the seventh grade. 
While the case for Port Townsend is obviously very bad, yet a great 
deal of overlapping of grades with a wide range of abilities within 
grades has been found wherever such studies have been conducted. 
The figures present further evidence of the great amount of individual 
variation even among groups which are supposedly very carefully se- 

•The assistance of Mdss Irene Swenson and Mr. O. K. Glover is grate- 
fully acknowledged. 



76 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



lected. Our much guarded system of grading seems hardly worthy of 
the veneration we have accorded it. 

Figure 3 shows the curves for quality and speed compared with 
the standard derived by Starch from tests made on 4,074 pupils. It 
will be seen that for quality the second grade is the only one that 
exceeds the standard, and this by 1.2 points. Beginning with the 
third grade the standard is barely reached and not again exceeded. 
The curve for speed is more erratic, going considerably below the 
standard in the third, seventh and eighth, but exceeding it in the 
sixth. Considering only the curve for speed, it might be thought 
that possibly the decrease in speed is to be explained by a special 
emphasis upon quality. But the curve for quality does not bear out 
this assumption, showing rather a failure to maintain the standard 
reached in the sixth. On the whole there seems to be little accom- 
plished in writing in the seventh and eighth grades. However, it 
should be said that the matter of more or less close conformity to the 
standard is a question of less importance than is the great range of 
abilities within grades. 









TABLE 


III. 














WRITING 












DISTRIBUTION 


OF 


SCORES BY 


GRADES 








II 


III 


IV 




V 


VI 


VII 


VIII 


4 


















5 


















6 


3 


4 














7 


3 


5 


5 




2 


1 






8 


8 


18 


18 




16 


2 


5 


1 


9 


9 


13 


29 




19 


10 


10 


12 


10 


3 


2 


4 




9 


9 


11 


10 


11 


6 


2 


3 




3 


9 


7 


16 


12 










1 


3 


2 


7 


13 
















2 


14 


















15 


















16 


















17 


















18 


















Total 
papers 


32 


44 


59 




50 


34 


35 


48 


Median 
scores 


8.7 


8.2 


8.7 




8.9 


9.9 


9.7 


10.6 



s 

PL, 



03 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 
FlOURB 2 

WRITING 
Percentage of Pupils Attaining Given Scores 



77 



2S 










"J— n 


iirii 


I 




SKAOCYE 






i; 1 

!* ' 




IS 










III '1 1 


' 1 




GMK 22. 




is 












i I 1 ' 
1 1 M 1 

4— ti '1 • 


1 




GHAoeg? 








1 ii !; i 
) ii 1, 1 




25 

' 


i1"m ;< I 

[ I] ||l }_, 6«A0££ 








r 








j 1 

1 1 
1 1 






fiKAOC]^ 




iA 








— 




' 1' 


1 — ^ 




as 




r 






• < 
1 'l 


1 1 1 
• i 1 
1 1 • 

1 — |j — _ 






6MA0C sr 












25 




r 






! il il i 

.! '1 ! 

1 '1 h| , 
1 II II 1 






6MXJT 














* 


5 


« 


7 


8 


• 


/o // 


/a 


/J 


/V // ^ 


n 



Scores on Thorndike Scale 



78 



survey of port townsend schools 

Figure 3 
WRITING 

SPEED 







Cn6a 



¥ ^ 



7 • 



QUALITY 



/s 




Standard 

Ba1te 

R)rt lownsend 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 



79 



ARITHMETIC 

The pupils in Grades V to VIII were tested in the four funda- 
mental operations in arithmetic and in the solution of problems in- 
volving reasoning. The material used for the fundamentals was 
Series B of the Courtis Standard Tests. ^ The Stone reasoning 
problems were used.^ Some examples from each group and all the 
reasoning problems are reproduced below. 



Addition 




927 


297 


379 


925 


756 


473 


837 


983 


924 


315 


110 


661 


854 


794 


965 


177 


344 


124 



Subtraction 



107795491 
77197029 



75088824 
57406394 



Multiplication 

8346 
29 



Division 




REASONING PROBLEMS 

1. If you buy 2 tablets at 7 cents each and a book for 65 cents, how 
much change should you receive from a two-dollar bill? 

2. John sold 4 Saturday Evening Posts at 5 cents each. He kept % 
the money and with the other % he bought Sunday papers at 2 cents each. 
How many did he buy? 

3. If James had 4 times as much money as George, he would have $16. 
How much has George? 

4. How many pencils can you buy for 50 cents at the rate of 2 for 
5 cents? 

5. The uniforms for a baseball nine cost $2.50 each. The shoes cost 
$2 a pair. What was the total cost of uniforms and shoes for the nine? 

6. In the schools of a certain city there are 2,200 pupils; % are in the 
primary grades, Vt in the grammar grades, i^ in the high school and 
the rest in the night school. How many pupils are there in the night 
school? 

7. If 3% tons of coal cost J21, what will 5% tons cost? 

8. A news dealer bought some magazines for $1. He sold them for 
$1.20, gaining 5 cents on each magazine. How many magazines were 
there? 

9. A girl spent % of her money for car fare, and three times as much 
for clothes. Half of what she had left was 80 cents. How much money 
did she have at first? 

10. Two girls receive $2.10 for making button-holes. One made 42, 
the other 28. How shall they divide the money? 

11. Mr. Brown paid one-third of the cost of a building; Mr. Johnson 
paid % the cost. Mr. Johnson received $500 more annual rent than Mr. 
Brown. How much did each receive? 

12. A freight train left Albanv for New York at 6 o'clock. An express 
left on the same track at 8 o'clock. It went at the rate of 40 miles an 
hour. At what time of day will it overtake the freight train if the freight 
train stops after it has gone 56 miles? 

The same time limits were observed in all grades as follows: 

Addition 8 minutes 

Subtraction 4 " 

Multiplication 6 " 

Division 8 " 

Reasoning 15 " 

The peculiar value of these test examples lies in the fact that 
each example is of equal difficulty with every other, containing the 
same number of operations with easy and difficult combinations evenly 

iS. A. Courtis, Standard Tests, 82 Eliot St., Detroit, Mich. 

2C. W. Stone, Arithmetical Abilities and Some Factors Determining 
Them. Teachers' College, Columbia University, 1908. 



rO SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

distributed. Therefore, the pupil who gets three examples correct^ 
for example, accomplishes just half as much as the one who gets 
six. This is obviously not true in the ordinary test material. 

The case is similar with the reasoning problems except that in- 
stead of each problem being of equal value with every other, the 
value of each has been worked out experimentally and assigned to it. 
These values are used in making the score for a given paper. The 
values for the different problems are as follows: 



Problem 


Value 


Problem 


Value 


1 




7 


1.2 


2 




8 


1.6 


3 




9 


2.0 


4 




10 


2.0 


5 




11 


2.0 


6 


1.4 


12 


2.0 



Scoring the Papers: The scores for fundamentals represent the 
number of examples worked correctly. No credit was given for a 
partially correct answer. It was either right or wrong. The scoring 
of the papers in fundamentals was done by the writer or under his 
direct supervision; that of the problems was all done by the writer. 
The assigned value was given for each problem in which the reasoning 
was correct even though there might be an error in calculation. It 
was the purpose in the reasoning test to measure just this one thing, 
ability to reason as needed to solve these problems. 

The Results: The results are significant as showing: 

1. How the pupils of the Port Townsend schools rank in com- 
parison with those of other schools. 

2. The comparative rankings of the four upper grades, indicat- 
ing progress from grade to grade. 

3. The distribution of the pupils within each grade, the range 
of abilities and consequent overlapping of grades. 

The last will be treated first. This distribution is shown in 
Tables IV and V for the fundamental operations. A statement of a 
few of the facts which are represented here will help in interpreting 
the tables. In every case, that is for each of the four grades in the 
four operations, except in the seventh grade addition and the fifth 
grade subtraction, one or more pupils failed to get a single example 
correct. The extreme of this is in the sixth grade division, in which 
there were 15 pupils who failed to score. At the other extreme one 
pupil got eight examples right. The greatest extremes in all cases 
are in the eighth grade, for though, as might be expected, the pupils 
in this grade rank highest, there are also some who rank at the bot- 
tom, failing to score at all. In this grade pupils range from to 12, 
with one going as high as 16. 

Curves were drawn showing this great range and the conse- 
quent overlapping of grades in the four fundamentals. Only one of 
these can be presented for lack of space. Figure 4 presents the 
curves for multiplication, showing the percentage of pupils attaining 
the given scores indicated at the bottom in terms of number of ex- 
amples correct. The evidence of the overlapping is seen in the 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 81 

fact that all the curves extend to the zero point on the left, and only 
the eighth grade goes beyond 7 at the other end. The medians are 
indicated by the dotted lines, labelled by grades. The very close 
grouping of these shows how little any grade average means in the 
way of an advance over the preceding one. To illustrate, though the 
eighth grade contains pupils ranking from to 10, the difference be- 
tween the median for the fifth grade and that for the eighth is less 
than 1, or from 3.4 to 4.3. That is, the average attainment for the 
eighth grade is less than one example more than the average for the 
fifth, with a maximum range in the eighth grade of 10. A similar 
condition is shown for the other operations, as may be seen from a 
careful study of Tables IV and V. In all four operations the curves 
for each grade extend beyond the medians for all the other grades. 
The best pupils of the fifth grade in all four operations rank as high 
or higher than the average of the eighth grade, and there are pupils 
in the eighth grade who rank as low as the poorest in the fifth. 

Stated differently, the facts are these: In addition, for ex- 
ample, on the average, 45% of the pupils in any grade exceed the 
median of the next grade above, and 41% exceed the median of the 
second grade above. For all four fundamentals, on the average, 
37% of the pupils of any grade exceed the median of the next grade 
above, and 27% exceed the median of the second grade above. That 
is, considerably more than one-third of the pupils might just as well 
be in the upper half of the grade above where they are so far as 
their ability in the fundamental operations of arithmetic is concerned. 
Over one-fourth are doing work as good or better than the better half 
of the pupils in the second grade above. In reasoning the condi- 
tions are similar. The corresponding percentages are 35 and 22. 
Table VI presents the data on which these figures are based. 

These facts point to the very great need of fitting the work of the 
school room to the individual needs of the pupils so far as possible. 
It is plain that if the work is planned for the average ability of the 
class it will be much too difficult for many and will mean marking 
time for another large number. It is not urged that there be a gen- 
eral re-grading on the basis of ability in arithmetic or any other sub- 
ject. Rather, it is suggested that the conditions point to the need of 
expending even more effort in studying the needs of the individual 
pupils and the adoption of a varying standard with a minimum rea- 
sonable and attainable requirement for all normal pupils. This im- 
plies what Mr. Curtis has very aptly termed "definition of aim and 
limitation of training," a clear determination of what is to be accom- 
plished in a given grade and a willingness to limit the work required 
of all to this standard. This involves the question, very much to the 
fore at present, of determining what shall be the minimum es- 
sentials in the different instrumental subjects. It is obvious that we 
are not teaching successfully the fundamentals in arithmetic in the 
grades where they ought to be taught, if by teaching them success- 
fully we mean bringing all normal pupils to a given reasonable at- 



82 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

tainment for each grade. It is more than probable that the dif- 
ficulty lies largely in the fact that we have tried to do too much; that 
is, for example, teach all that is in the arithmetic just because it is 
there, and this at the cost of the fundamentals. But this raises the 
question of the course of study which is not within the scope of this 
section. It is the aim here merely to show the situation so far as 
possible in terms of measurable results achieved. 

Table VII and Figures 5 and 6 show the rank of the pupils in 
the Port Townsend schools in comparison with those of other cities. 
In only four points, the fifth, sixth and eighth, in addition, and the 
fifth in multiplication, do the Port Townsend curves reach or exceed 
any of the others. On the whole they are much below. The work in 
addition ranks the highest, and is on the average better than that in 
one other city reported. It is a noticeable fact that multiplication 
comes next, and that subtraction and division are about equally far 
below the average for the other cities. The common elements in 
these two operations probably explain this. These facts warrant the 
statement that on the whole the results of the teaching of the funda- 
mentals of arithmetic are much inferior to those in the other cities re- 
ported, which may be considered as representing a reasonable stand- 
ard. 

Figure 7 shows from a single comparison a similar condition in 
the work in reasoning. The solid line represents the median scores by 
grades, attained in the Butte schools. The dotted line is for Port 
Townsend. In the fifth grade only is the median for the latter as 
high as that for Butte. From this point upward in the grades the 
ability in reasoning grows correspondingly less. Another basis for 
comparison is presented in the table below. 

TABLE VTII 

SCORE FOR EACH 100 PUPILS OF THE UPPER SIXTH GRADE IN 
REASONING IN ARITHMETIC IN 26 OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS* 

Lowest Middle Highest 

356 550 914 

SCORE FOR GRADES V TO VIII IN PORT TOWNSEND ON THE SAME 

BASIS 

Grade Score 

V 252 

VI 263 

VII 403 

VIII 522 

We have not the figures for the upper half of the sixth grade 
(there are yearly promotions only in Port Townsend), so a direct 
comparison cannot be made. However, the figures show that the at- 
tainment of the eighth grade in Port Townsend is below the average 
score for the upper sixth grade in 26 other cities. And for the sixth 
grade as a whole the score for Port Townsend is much below — 93 
points — the lowest record for the upper sixth in 26 cities. 

An examination of the papers shows a number of interesting 
types of error. On the whole the greatest source of error seems to 
be the failure to read carefully. This statement is made because of 
♦Leonard P. Ayres, The Public Schools of Springfield, Illinois, p. 81. 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 



83 



the prevalence of errors such as the following. The first problem 
reads. If you buy 2 tablets at 7 cents each and a book for 65 cents, 
how much change should you receive from a two-dollar bill? Six 
papers out of the thirty-five in the sixth grade contained the following 
solution to this problem: 



7 cents 
65 cents 



72 cents 



$2.00 
.72 

$1.28 



This, of course, cannot be counted a correct solution. And yet 
there is no doubt but that if the pupils who made this mistake were 
questioned by the teacher they would see readily what was lacking. 
Probably just calling their attention to the problem as incorrect 
would cause them to read the statement again and see what the 
trouble is. The point is that the error is really that of failure to 
read carefully. And the question is, after the treatment ordinarily 
given such a case, is the pupil any nearer able to solve a problem that 
he meets without help? This is merely a suggestion of a possible 
explanation of many of the errors in "reasoning" of which this is 
typical. 

TABL.E: IV 
ARITHMETIC 

DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES BY GRADES 
NUMBER OF EXAMPLES CORRECT 



No. of exampl 
correct 


es 
V 


VI VII 
Addition 


Gra 
VIII 


ides 

V 


VI VII 
Subtraction 


VIII 





3 


3 







2 





1 


1 


2 


1 


3 


4 




6 


3 


5 


1 


1 


1 


2 


7 


3 




5 


3 


5 


6 


2 


3 


3 


2 


5 




9 


7 


4 


11 


6 


4 


4 


10 


9 




5 


4 


8 


7 


6 


5 


5 


5 


1 




2 


7 


5 


4 


6 


4 


6 


1 


4 




6 


9 





2 


7 


11 


7 




3 




1 


6 


4 


3 


3 


6 


8 




3 




1 


4 






2 


5 


9 








1 


1 






1 


5 


10 










1 






1 


4 


11 










3 








1 


12 




















13 




















14 




















15 




















16 










1 










Total papers 
Median scores 


31 
I 3.6 


35 
3.8 




36 
3.3 


51 
5.5 


31 
3.8 


35 
3.4 


36 
4.8 


51 
6.1 



84 



SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 
TABLE V 



ARITHMETIC 



DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES BY GRADES 
NUMBER OF EXAMPLES CORRECT 



No. of examples 
correct V 



VI VII VIII 

Multiplication 



Grades 



VI VII 

Division 






2 


5 


4 


3 


1 


4 


6 


4 


4 


2 


3 


6 


5 


3 


3 


8 


1 


4 


10 


4 


4 


6 


8 


7 


5 


7 


4 


6 


4 


6 


2 


6 


2 


6 


7 


1 


1 


3 


8 


8 








3 


9 








1 


10 








2 


11 










12 










13 










14 










15 










16 











11 

9 
3 

5 

2 

1 



15 
4 
4 
4 



VIII 

3 

4 
6 
7 
7 
5 
3 
3 
1 
4 
4 
2 
1 



Total papers 31 
Median scores 3.4 



35 


36 


51 


31 


35 


36 


51 


3.5 


3.6 


4.3 


1.1 


1.3 


3.3 


4.4 



the quality of instruction 
Figure 4 



ss 



ARITHMETIC 



MULTIPLICATION 



Percentage of Pupils Attaining Given Scores 



9« 






UBfSi 



Grade VIII 




5 t> 7 8 9 lo II n f9 m t* f 



86 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



4 

S 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 



table: VI 

ARITHMETIC 

REASONING 
DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES BY GRADES 



V 
4 

5 
6 
6 
7 



Grades 




VI 


VII 


VIII 


6 


2 


1 


6 


1 


1 


7 


1 


2 


5 


11 


4 


8 


7 


8 


1 


6 


16 


1 


3 


6 


2 


3 


7 




1 


4 

1 


1 


36 

2.8 


35 
4.0 


51 
5.4 


TABLE VII 







Total papers 31 
Median scores 2.6 



ARITHMETIC 

THE MEDIAN SCORES BY GRADES FOR DETROIT, BOSTON, BUTTE, A 
GROUP OF OTHER CITIES AND PORT TOWNSEND 



Detroit 3.9 

Boston 3.7 

Butte 2.9 

Other cities 3.9 

Port Townsend 3.6 

Detroit 5.5 

Boston 4.9 

Butte 5.5 

Other cities 4.5 

Port Townsend 3.8 

Detroit 3.8 

Boston 3.3 

Butte 4.1 

Other cities 2.6 

Port Townsend 3.4 

Detroit 2.7 

Boston 2.0 

Butte 3.6 

Other cities 2.3 

Port Townsend 1.1 



Grades 




VI VII 


VIII 


Addition 




4.6 5.4 
4.9 5.6 
3.4 3.8 
4.4 4.7 
3.8 3.3 


6.7 
7.8 
5.3 
5.6 

5.5 


Subtraction 




6.2 7.3 

6.3 6.9 
5.8 7.1 
6.1 7.8 

3.4 4.8 


9.5 
8.6 
9.8 
8.4 
6.1 


Multiplication 
4.8 6.0 
4.8 5.1 
5.0 6.5 

4.5 5.2 

3.6 3.6 


7.5 
6.5 
8.1 
6.4 
4.3 


Division 




4.4 7.1 
3.3 5.1 
4.3 7.2 
4.3 6.8 
1.3 3.3 


8.8 
6.9 
10.2 
6.3 
4.4 



the quality of instruction 
Figure 5 



87 



ARITHMETIC 

Median Number of Correct Answers by Grades 
Addition Subtraction 



II 




s 



iOi 



— ' Boston 

— > 1 other Cities. 

■ — -_ Port To>^i\3t.r\<i _ 



88 



survey op port townsend schools 
Figure 6 



ARITHMETIC 

Median Number of Correct Answers by Grades 
Multiplication Division 



* / 




— •— — - OcTMtr 
— - — — — &osr«N 
"' « ' ' ' OTHtnCinu 

PMTTowfMttny 



Ar«S«r<CM» 

// 

10 
9 
8 

7 
6 
5 
4 
9 
A 
I 




XT y^l fiS' G-AmJ H M W 



the quality op instruction 

Figure 7 
REASONING 

Median Scores by Grades 



St> 



i5¥ 




Duttc. 

Port Towna«na. 



Grades. 



w. m 



READING 



The pupils of grades II to VIII were tested for speed of read- 
ing and ability to comprehend a given selection from a single read- 
ing. The test material used was that prepared by Dr. Starch and 
described in the Journal of Educational Psychology for January, 
1915. The material consists of eight sheets, one for each grade, con- 
taining selections chosen as typical of the reading matter in school 
readers for the different grades. The selections for grades I and 
II are printed in 14-point type, those for grades III and IV in 12- 
point, and for the rest in 10-point. 

Giving the Tests: Two tests were given in each grade, first the 
one intended for the particular grade, that is. Test 8 for Grade VIII, 



90 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Test 7 for Grade VII. The following day the test for the grade be- 
low was given to each grade; for example, Test 7 to Grade VIII, 
Test 6 to Grade VII and so on. This serves as a corrective in case 
of possible familiarity of one grade with a particular selection and 
also reduces the possibility of any selection being unfair for a 
given grade, though, of course, the material was chosen for each grade 
because of its special fitness for that grade. Both tests were given 
in each grade by the writer so that the conditions might be as nearly 
uniform as possible. It was explained to the pupils that they were 
to read silently as rapidly as they could, but with care, for they would 
be asked to write in their own words as much as they could of what 
they read. Great care was taken to insure that all the pupils read 
exactly the allotted time, thirty seconds. The pupils were instructed 
"beforehand to draw a line after the last word read before the signal 
to stop. Just after the signal to stop reading the pupils were asked 
to turn their papers over and write what they could remember. They 
were allowed as much time for the writing as they wished. 

Scoring the Tests: The speed of reading could be determined 
with considerable accuracy and the results are definite. The com- 
prehension was determined by counting the words written which cor- 
rectly reproduced the thought of the selection. The account was read 
carefully with the purpose of judging what part of the material 
written might be so considered. If any part expressed a thought not 
to be found in the selection, or reproduced a thought incorrectly, the 
words were crossed out. The average number of words remaining on 
the two papers written by a given pupil constituted the score. It was 
thought at first that several readers could be used. But in order to 
reduce as much as possible the amount of error inevitable in the judg- 
ing of what was relevant material, it was considered best to have all 
the papers read by one person. Any peculiarity of judgment would 
in this way be carried through all the grades and no grade would be 
at a disadvantage. It may be urged that even with this precaution 
against error this is not a fair test of comprehension; that it is rather 
a test of immediate memory, and that the number of words written is 
not a good index of the grasp of the material read. Recognizing that 
these are valid questions, we shall only say that we have no desire 
here to discuss the merits of the test, but that for our purposes it was 
the best available and the results have seemed to justify its use. 

Results: Table IX gives the distribution of the pupils in speed 
of reading, represented in the number of words read per second. 
For example, in Grade II three pupils read at the rate of half a word 
or less a second, and six read from half a word to one word a second. 
In the seventh grade the slowest pupils read at the rate of from one 
to one and a half word a second, and the most rapid reader read over 
seven words a second. The median scores show that there is not a 
regular nor rapid increase in speed of reading from grade to grade. 
The medians are represented by the dotted lines in Figure 8. An in- 
spection of these reveals the fact that all grades but the eighth have 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 91 

pupils whose rate of reading is as low as the median, or average, 
roughly, of the second grade. And all grades but the third have 
pupils who read as rapidly as the average of the eighth grade. There 
are in all grades rapid readers and slow readers, and readers of all 
degrees between the extremes. This is only what might be expected. 
But it calls attention to a fact that is coming to be more fully rec- 
ognized by teachers, and that is the need of practice in silent read- 
ing. Practically all the school room reading has been oral reading 
with the emphasis on pronunciation and comparatively no attention to 
thought getting. And it is equally true that by far the greater part 
of the reading which the ordinary adult does is silent reading. Most 
adults read much more slowly than need be in the future if more 
training be given in silent reading for thought getting, "thinking 
in terms of the symbols on the page." That the pupils in the Port 
Townsend schools rank low in the speed of silent reading is evi- 
dent from Figure 10. The solid line represents the Starch standard, 
computed from tests of 1,414 pupils. Only for the fourth grade 
does the Port Townsend curve approach the standard. Except at 
this point the grades rank consistently much below. 

Table X and Figure 9 give in similar form the distribution for 
comprehension and again show a great range within grades and 
considerable overlapping. Eighth grade reading ability does not 
mean anything at all definite in ability to comprehend what is read, 
judged by the ability to reproduce the thought, as was found to be 
true in speed of reading. As between the second and the eighth 
grades there is a considerable increase in comprehension on the aver- 
age. But as indicated by the grouping of the other medians the gain 
is not at all regular. This is shown clearly in Figure 10, the curve 
being very irregular. This figure shows also for comprehension be- 
low, as above for speed, that the average ability for the various grades 
is considerably below the standard, especially in Grades III, VI 
and VII. 

The extent of the variation from the standard is shown more 
plainly by the third lines in each part of the figure. These are 
drawn so as to represent a score just half that of the standard. The 
fact that the curves for Port Townsend very closely approximate 
these 50 per cent standards indicates that for both speed and com- 
prehension the attainment in Port Townsend is about half the aver- 
age ranking of 1,414 pupils. It should be said that there is a possi- 
bility of some variation in the record for comprehension because of 
the element of judgment which enters into the grading. But with 
large allowance for this there would still be a very great variation 
from the standard. In the matter of speed the results are to be 
taken with no discount whatever as the number of words read is 
capable of exact determination. 



92 survey of port townsbnd schools 

Figure 8 
READING 

SPEED 

Percentage of Pupils Reading Given Number of Words per Second 




G«Aoe 




GMAOC Vli 



Oh 



Oh 



ti 




•nakQ 



iS 



6HAM2 



IS 



I 1 



QMOC 5 



a5 



4f 



j-^ 




"To 73 Tp 



I ^ . 1, 



OMAoe 



GRAOClT 



i-J ' ilo ' ^ v.* <ii ' ^.*' « ?:r-53 STTJ 



the quality of instruction 

Figure 9 

READING 

COMPREHENSION 

Percentage of Pupils Writing Given Number of Words 



93 



CRAof vm 




*0 25 



¥0 Ms 



70 7S 



94 



survey of port townsend schools 
Figure 10 
READING 



"73 

a 
o 
u 



na 
es 



o 

d 
52; 




TT BC :0K 



/(tf 



a 



COMPREHENSION 

Starch €>tAndar^ 

Fort TownstfK/ 

dtai^hStandatd 



T3 
u 

O 

d 



30 



29 



— •' ^ J 



'i 



m S JL ST m. 



THE QUALITY OP INSTRUCTION 



96 



table: IX 

RBADINO 

SPEED 
DISTRIBUTION BY GRADES OF SCORES 
NUMBER OF WORDS READ PER SECOND 



.5 
1.0 



II 

3 

6 

8 

1 

2 

3 



1.1-1.5 

1.6-2.0 

2.1-2.5 

2.6-3.0 

3.1-3.5 

3.6-4.0 

4.1-4.5 

4.6-5.0 1 

5.1-5.5 

5.6-6.0 

6.1-6.5 

6.6-7.0 

7.1-7.5 

Total No. 

of pupils 24 
Median scores 1.2 



III 
2 



IV 

2 
4 
5 
3 
4 
4 



Grades 
V 



2 

3 

10 

3 



VI 



VII 



25 
1.2 



23 
2.2 



23 

1.9 



20 
2.2 



31 
2.4 



TABLE X 
READING 

COMPREHENSION 
DISTRIBUTION OF SCORES BY GRADES 
NUMBER OF "WORDS WRITTEN 
Grades 



VIII 



20 
2.8 







II 


III 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


VIII 


0-5 




2 


3 


1 










6-10 




7 


6 


2 


1 


1 


1 




11-15 




3 


6 


2 


2 


4 


5 


2 


16-20 




1 


2 


6 


5 


4 


6 


1 


21-25 




4 


1 


3 


4 


3 


6 


2 


26-30 




5 


2 


3 


5 


7 


1 


1 


31-35 




1 


2 


4 


1 


1 


4 


3 


36-40 




1 


1 


1 






4 


1 


41-45 










1 




2 


5 


46-50 






1 


1 


2 




1 


2 


51-55 










1 








56-60 














1 


3 


61-65 


















66-70 


















71-75 










1 








Total 


No. 
















of 


pupils 


24 


24 


23 


23 


20 


31 


20 


Median score 


15.0 


12.5 


21.5 


25.0 


21.5 


23.5 


40.0 



96 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

ENGLISH 

The pupils in grades VIII and XII were given a series of tests 
in English. The tests used were those prepared by Dr. Daniel 
Starch.* The series consists of five tests in the following: Parts 
of speech, case of nouns and pronouns, tense and mode of verbs, 
punctuation, and the selection of the correct form of two given ex- 
pressions. Space will not permit reproducing the tests in full. 
Examples will be given from each so as to show the nature of the 
work. 

"English Test 1— 

"Indicate the parts of speech in the following text by placing 
above each word the abbreviation for its part of speech. Work as 
rapidly as possible. Three minutes will be allowed. Use the fol- 
lowing abbreviations: 

noun — n adjective — adj preposition — pre conjunction — c 

jpronoun — pro verb — v adverb — adv interjection — i 

"Maggie's eyes had begun to sparkle and her cheeks to flush — 
she was really beginning to instruct the gypsies and gaining great in- 
fluence over them." (Then follow about 200 words of such ma- 
terial.) 

"English Test 2— 

"Indicate the case of each noun and pronoun in the following 
text by placing above each one the abbreviation for its case." (Then 
follow directions similar to those above with appropriate abbrevia- 
tions.) 

"After crossing the gully and walking on through the woods for 
what they thought a safe distance, they turned into the path." (Then 
more of similar material.) 

"English Test 3— 

"Indicate the tense and mode of the following verb forms by 
placing above each example the abbreviation for its tense and mode." 
(Further directions.) 

"I wait. I will have cut. You talked. If you become. He 
will think. If he wished. We have played." (Continued.) 

"English Test 4 — 

"Punctuate the following sentences. Work as rapidly as pos- 
sible. Three minutes will be allowed." 

"You see John how I stand. 

"Next we went to Vienna the capital of Austria. 

"Everything being ready the guard blew his horn." (Con- 
tinued.) 

♦Daniel Starch, Measurement of Efficiency in Reading, Writing. Spell- 
ing and English. The College Bookstore, Madison, Wisconsin, 1914. 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 97 

"English Test 5— 

"Each of the following sentences gives in paranthesis two ways 
in which it may be stated. Cross out the one you think is incorrect 
or bad. If you think both are incorrect cross both out. If you 
think both are correct underline both. Work as rapidly as possible. 
Fifteen minutes will be allowed." 

"1. A new order of ideas and principles (have; has) been in- 
stituted. 

"2. The captain, as well as the mate and the pilot (was ; were) 
frightened. 

"3. Neither he nor she (is; are) here." 
(One hundred such.) 

Results: Table XI shows the distribution of the scores by 
grades. The scores represent the number jof exercises correctly 
done; parts of speech correctly designated, nouns and pronouns with 
cases given correctly, and so on. The table reads as follows: In 
the 8th grade, for example, in Test 1, six pupils made scores of 10 
or less; in Test 2, thirteen made scores of 5 or less. In the 12th 
grade in Test 1 no pupils ranked below 11, two ranked between 11 
and 15 inclusive. Again in the 12th grade the range of ability is 
shown in that two pupils got less than sixteen parts of speech cor- 
rect (Test 1), and one designated over seventy correctly, with the 
others distributed rather evenly throughout this wide range. 

The median scores show a consistent and considerable gain by the 
12th grade over the eighth. So that on the average the pupils of 
the twelfth grade rank considerably higher than those of the eighth;: 
whether as much higher as they should cannot be said in the absence 
of any more definite standards. Figure 1 1 shows the curves for the 
five tests for both grades in Port Townsend as compared with tenta- 
tive standards. These standards are presented by Dr. Starch on the 
basis of only a small number of cases and are not to be taken as well 
established. However, they serve to indicate that the Port Town- 
send results are probably not far from what will be an accepted 
standard. It is true that the curves for the tests given barely reach 
the others in only two points and exceed them in only one, but they 
fairly closely approximate them throughout. It is to be noted that 
the pupils tested here do much better in this formal type of work 
than in the actual application in the compositions, as will be seen 
by a comparison with the results in the composition tests. 

But while the average scores for each grade rank fairly well, it 
is true here again, as in all other subjects treated, that there is a 
great range of ability within each grade in all of the tests. A care- 
ful examination of Table XI brings out this fact. For example, in 
all the tests some pupils in the eighth grade exceed the median of the 
twelfth. Specifically, four pupils of the eighth grade rank above 
35, the median score for the twelfth grade in Test 1. Two rank 
above 26 in the second test, the corresponding median being 26.7. 



98 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

In the next test the median group is barely reached, but in the other 
two passed again. In the other direction, in all five tests some stu- 
dents in the twelfth grade rank below the average for the eighth. 
In other words, there are pupils in the eighth grade who rank as 
high as the average of the twelfth and some in the twelfth who 
rank lower than the average of the eighth in all five tests. Neither 
eighth nor twelfth grade standing means anything at all definite in 
the way of knowledge of the elements of grammar. 



Figure 11 

ENGLISH 

Medium Number of Correct Answers hy Grades 





Qrade JIT 



Tebts / 



Ttntatf'^e ^fanddrj (dtarch) 



^ ¥0 Port 7o»*v7^e/7</ 



-2^^..,^^^ ^j^^^ Grade ^ 




Tests ' 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 



99 











TABLE 


: XI 


















DISTRIBUTION 


BY 


GRADES 


OF SCORES 


FOR 


THE FIVE 


TESTS IN 










ENGLISH 






















Grade 


VIII 


Tests 






Grade 


XII 








1 


2 


3 


4 


5 




1 




2 


3 


4 




5 


0-5 




13 


11 


8 










3 




1 






6-10 


6 


13 


22 


7 










3 


4 








11-15 


11 


8 


8 


6 


2 




2 




4 


2 


1 




1 


16-20 


10 


• 7 


1 


5 


6 








1 


7 


2 






21-25 


5 






8 


5 




2 




1 


4 


9 






® 26-30 

u 


5 


2 




6 


3 




6 




3 


4 


4 






1 31-35 


1 






2 


7 




2 




2 




3 




1 


fr. 36-40 

<D 


1 








8 




2 




3 


1 


2 




2 


g 41-45 


3 








6 




1 




3 


2 


2 




3 


1 46-50 










3 




1 




1 


1 






6 


51-55 










1 




3 












6 


56-60 










1 




1 








1 




2 


61-65 














1 












1 


66-70 














2 




1 








3 


71-75 














1 














76-80 


























1 


Total papers 


42 


43 


42 


42 


42 




24 




25 


25 


25 




25 


Median 




























scores 


17.0 


8.5 


7.3 


15.0 33 


.6 




35. 





26.7 


20. 


25. 





50.0 



COMPOSITION 

All the pupils in grades IV to XII inclusive were tested in 
English composition. All were asked to write on a given topic. 
This was written on the blackboard and opportunity was given the 
pupils to ask questions. They were allowed twenty-two minutes in 
which to write. The topic chosen was, "How I would spend a hun- 
dred dollars to please five persons who like different things." This 
particular subject was selected because it had been used in a similar 
test in the Butte survey and it was thought that the results there 
would give a good basis for comparison. However, the Butte com- 
positions were rated by the use of the Hillegas Scale. And after 
careful consideration of the relative merits of this scale and the Har- 
vard-Newton Scale* for our purposes, the latter was determined 
upon. It was thought enough more suitable to our needs to out- 
weigh the advantage of comparison with the Butte results which 
would come from the use of the Hillegas Scale. 

A brief explanation of the scale used will help make clear the 

•F. W. Ballou, Scales for the Measurement of English Compositions. 
The Harvard-Newton Bulletins No. II, Sept., 1914. 



100 SURVEY OP PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

method of scoring. The following is taken from the author's descrip- 
tion of the scale, p. 10: "We have prepared a series of four scales 
with which to measure respectively the four forms of composition- 
writing of eighth grade pupils, namely, description, exposition, argu- 
ment and narration. Each scale is made up of compositions having 
the same characteristics as those which the scale is intended to meas- 
ure. The compositions in the scale were selected on the basis of 
grades given by teachers and other school people familiar with what 
eighth grade compositions ought to be. The compositions in the scale 
range approximately by regular degrees of quality from the very 
best which pupils of the eighth grade can write to one about as poor 
as ought to be found in eighth grade work." The exposition scale 
was used. This consists of six compositions ranging in value from 
91.8% to 39.1%, and represented by letters from A to F. The 
problem of the person grading the papers is to decide to which 
composition of the six the one being graded most nearly corresponds 
in value. The question arises as to whether this scale is usable for 
grades other than the eighth. The results show that, at least in this 
case, there is no difficulty whatever at the upper end of the scale. 
That is, the highest composition in the scale is as good as any written 
in the 12th grade. In fact only three pupils in the 11th and one in 
the 12th were given an "A" grade. At the lower end of the scale 
there is some difficulty. As might be expected, there were some com- 
positions ranking lower in quality than any in the scale. All papers 
which in the judgment of the readers ranked below "F" were given 
"F — ". This means that there is no differentiation below "F." How- 
ever, a consideration of the accompanying table and figures will 
show that this does not interfere greatly with the results so far as 
our purposes are concerned. It is only Grade IV that is particular- 
ly affected. 

After the papers for each grade had been gathered each was 
given a code number to indicate the grade. Then the papers were 
shuffled so that the readers might not know in which grade a given 
paper was written. The scoring was done by three students in Ex- 
perimental Education and the writer.* The whole lot of papers was 
then divided into four parts, each part thus being made up of papers 
from the different grades. In this way the scores for any grade really 
represent the combined judgment of the four readers and a tendency 
on the part of any one to grade liberally or rigidly would tend to be 
offset by the others. The papers were then graded in the manner 
indicated. 

Results: Table XII shows the distribution of scores by grades. 
In all grades but the 9th, 10th and 12th, some papers were given 
the score "F — ", that is, ranked below the poorest composition in 
the scale. Only 7 pupils out of the total of 331 attained the score 
"A," 2 in the 8th, 1 in each of the 10th and 12th, and 3 in the 11th. 

•The assistance of Miss Nellie Senska, Miss Helen Bain and Mr. A. L. 
Giberson is here gratefully acknowledged. 



THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION 101 

In order to determine the median scores more accurately than could 
be expressed by letters, numerical values from 4 to 10 were assigned 
to the letters from F — to A. The medians as indicated in the table 
show a gain of only 2.7 points from the 5th grade to the 12th. How- 
ever, though slight, there is a fairly regular improvement through the 
grades. There is no standard for comparison of the work as a whole 
except the test itself. But since the test was prepared to represent 
"regular degrees of quality from the very best which pupils of the 
eighth grade can write to one about as poor as ought to be found in 
eighth grade work," it may fairly be assumed that the eighth grade 
average should be higher than 6.3, or below the fourth step from the 
top of the scale. The twelfth grade median represents less than "C" 
standing. These facts indicate that the results in composition as 
measured by this test are on the whole not satisfactory. 

Figure 12 represents the distribution by percentages of pupils 
receiving given scores. The left ends of the curves are not sig- 
nificant for the lower grades, particularly the fourth, for there is no 
indication as to how much poorer than "F — " any of the papers were. 
But the right hand ends of the curves show, for example, that as 
large a percentage of the pupils of the eighth grade write an "A" 
composition as of the twelfth. Almost as large a percentage of the 
pupils of the fourth grade write a composition of "C" quality as of 
those in the eighth. In the tenth and eleventh the percentage is 
larger than in the twelfth. 

It would be helpful as showing the characteristic limitations in 
the work in composition to reproduce some of the typical compositions. 
However, because of the personal element involved in the case of a 
school of this size, this was not thought advisable. The four read- 
ers are agreed on the following as the most apparent shortcomings 
shown in the papers: 

1. In mechanics — Poor spelling, punctuation, sentence structure 
and paragraphing. 

2. In thought — An almost total lack of any imaginative qual- 
ity; a mathematical, mechanical treatment of the subject. 

TABLE XII 
DISTRIBUTION OP COMPOSITION SCORES BY GRADES 

GRADES 



Scores 




IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


VIII 


IX 


X 


XI 


XII 


A 


10 












2 


— 


1 


3 


1 


B 


9 








1 


1 


3 


4 


1 


3 


5 


C 


8 




3 


1 


— 


1 


3 


7 


2 


8 


9 


D 


7 




2 


2 


4 


6 


7 


7 


8 


6 


4 


E 


6 




1 


7 


13 


9 


17 


15 


4 


4 


4 


F 


5 




10 


11 


20 


6 


8 


9 


4 


1 


1 


F— 


4 




43 


9 


14 


8 


5 


— 


— 


3 


— 


Total 


papers 


59 


30 


52 


31 


45 


42 


20 


28 


24 


Median 


scores 




5.1 


5.1 


5.8 


6.3 


6.3 


6.8 


7.5 


7.8 



102 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



Figure 12 
COMPOSITION 

Percentage of Pupils Receiving Given Grades 



25 



*m 










r • 












1 






GRADCM 




1 


k 






1 






a , 




1 










J 


1 


1 


1 


GRAOCJJ 




1 1 






1 






25 




1 
1 




















1 




graoeZ 


n 


1 


1 








1 











I 



1=L 



GMX Ui 



S 2S 



a, 



fao 

e8 



PLh 



25 


2S 


2S 



25 



_f _ _r E_ 2. ^ ^ A 

^ S (> 7 B 3 to 



GRAoe ^ 



GRADE 'Hi 



GRADE Yi 



GRAOE £ 



6«A0E 1^ 



AGE-GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF PUPILS 103 

Age-Grade Distribution of Elementary School Pupils 

The accompanying table presents the distribution of the ele- 
mentary school pupils by ages and grades. The aim is to show how 
old the pupils of a given grade are, from which, assuming entrance 
at a given age and allowing one grade to a year, the efficiency of the 
school in securing regular progress for all normal pupils may be 
judged. That is, for example, a very high percentage of over-age 
pupils, those above normal age for their grade, is some indication of 
the failure of the school to meet its own standard for normal pupils, 
or else an unusually large number of abnormal children. Either 
condition calls for special investigation. 

The commonly accepted method of distribution is used, that of 
considering 6 or 7 the normal age for entrance ; and so, allowing a 
range of two years to a grade, normal age for the second grade 7 to 
9, for the third, 8 to 10, and so on. The figures to the left of the 
first broken line in the table represent the pupils below normal age 
and those to the right of the second broken line represent the pupils 
above normal age. The last column to the right shows the per- 
centage of pupils in each grade above normal age, ranging from none 
in the second to 26 in the sixth. The average for all grades is only 13. 

This figure is very low as compared with those for other schools. 
In a study of the age-grade distribution in twenty-nine cities made 
in 1911 by Dr. Ayres^ the average per cent of over-age pupils was 
found to be 37. The corresponding percentage for the schools of 
Blaine, Washington, for the year 1913-14 was 39.- 

The general conclusion is warranted that the pupils of the Port 
Townsend schools are on the whole very well placed as to age and 
grade. The very evident policy on the part of those in charge to 
put the pupils where they can profit most even at the cost of more 
individual work by the teachers has brought results. As to whether 
greater efficiency would result from providing a special teacher for 
this work and thus giving the regular teachers more time for the 
pupils making normal progress, the writer is not prepared to say. 
This is a question which can only be answered in the light of further 
study. 

Were the percentage of over-age high, a study of the distribution 
of the pupils by grades and years in school should have been made. 
This would take into account what the present study does not, name- 
ly, that some pupils start school at an advanced age, so that their 
seeming retardation is actually the result of late entrance rather than 
slow progress. However, as suggested, the low percentage seemed 
not to warrant any further statistical study. But the comparatively 
high percentage of over-age condition in the four highest grades calls 
for a careful investigation of all these individual cases by the teach- 
ers themselves with a view to reducing it to the minimum. 

iLeonard P. Ayres, The Identification of the Misfit Child. Publica- 
tion No. 108, Division of Education, Russell Sage Foundation, New York 
City. 

2University Extension Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3, Seattle, Washington. 



104 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 



H-1 

I— I 

a, 

o 
o 

o 
< 

O 

Jzi 

O 
I— I 

H 

m 
I— I 

H 

C/2 



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O 

O 
<1 



•fVU/JOf^9AO<fy 



fViUJOfj' 
MOI9g 



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55 






<^ 



00 






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^ «\j <>l '^ t\| 



;)^ <d (\l ;j «>j <a N 
>* "V V. 






>^io'^^»o«N|*M^i 



NO 



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00 o N. <a ;j» o> ^ 



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Mm^ii-ims^ia^ 



^2 



THE EDUCATIONAL. PROGRAM 105 

The Educational Program of Port Townsend 

There is in the world today a natural and for the most part 
commendable prejudice against the purely theoretical. In spite of 
this, however, there is need everywhere of that larger outlook upon 
our social and educational problems which only a constructive theory, 
or view of the whole matter, can give. 

Port Townsend is a normal community of the state. It has its 
various lines of interests, its homes, its play, its social life, its re- 
ligious life, its business and industry, its politics, its education. In 
all of these interests, problems arise. What shall these problems mean 
to the city? How shall they be met? In the previous chapters of 
this survey we have seen what is the social background of the school, 
and what the school is doing. But other educational problems still 
remain to be faced. 

In the past three or four years the school system of Port Town- 
send has made commendable progress in the matter of making con- 
tacts with the life and industry of the city. But not enough progress 
has been made along these lines; at least, there is still room for a 
very considerable development. 

Everywhere schools are facing the question as to the real out- 
come of their work. There is presented herewith a chart showing the 
possible outcomes and the conflicting tendencies. In a state as new as 
our own, it is questionable whether any ideal or a purely abstract 
culture is allowable. 

Ex-President Eliot of Harvard pointed out in a notable address 
some years ago that the heart of education, from the standpoint 
of the pupil, is his interest in a life career. He looks forward to a 
real place in the world and works with a will to win that place. 

Taking this statement as a clue, what opportunities does Port 
Townsend offer for a life career for its young men and women? At 
this point we come upon one of the discouraging phases of the local 
educational situation. Over and over again the statement is made, 
"There is nothing for a young man to do in Port Townsend." That 
is to say, it is said that the young man of energy must find his satis- 
faction in a vocational way by looking elsewhere. 

Now it is true, of course, that no community lives wholly to itself, 
and the graduates of any school may very justly look out upon the 
whole state or nation, or even the world, as legitimate field for enter- 
prise. But, when a community comes to include in its description of 
itself a contemptuous statement that it has no real field of enter- 
prise, it sets up a situation that lacks something essential to educa- 
tion. Boys and girls who grow up to feel that their own community 
holds nothing for them, grow up in danger of never establishing definite 
community relationships anywhere and of becoming in all essential par- 
ticulars like "a man without a country." The student who leaves his 
home community to work and live elsewhere should do so, ordinarily. 



106 



SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 




THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 107 

not because there is nothing for him to do at home, but because there 
is a larger task fitted to his nature somewhere else. 

What can the school of Port Townsend do to broaden the range 
of vocational opportunity for its own graduates ? Well, it can develop 
more definitely the ideal of work. It can help to open the eyes of the 
community, especially the eyes of the young, to the undeveloped re- 
sources which lie in the community itself. It can make actual con- 
tact with the industries which now exist, helping the young man and 
young woman to realize the relationship of these industries to both 
the economic future of the community and their own educational 
progress. 

An illustration of this latter factor may be found in the so- 
called by-products plant established within the past year for the 
utilization of the refuse of the fish canneries and of those species of 
fish which do not enter into common consumption. At first this plant 
was objectionable to the city on account of its disagreeable odors. 
There were those who hoped that it would be unsuccessful on this 
account. Protests were made ; but that particular phase of the plant's 
operation has been almost, if not quite, completely controlled. It is 
a small affair as yet, but it indicates a line of development of industry 
in the relations of Port Townsend to the sea; it indicates the pos- 
sibility of development of new wealth in the community and of new 
and larger industrial enterprises. And especially a visit to the 
plant shows wherein the schools are failing to take advantage of a 
wonderful means of educational stimulation. The chemistry depart- 
ment of the High School could make all the work of that department 
live in a new and vital way by showing the students what chemistry 
is really accomplishing in the transformation of crude and even of- 
fensive materials into useful products and into new forms of wealth. 
Unlimited developments along these lines are here hinted at; but 
they are really just begun. Who can say what lies ahead of the 
city in these industrial and educational lines.'' Untold raw resources 
seem to be available; science waits to serve. How shall the formal 
lessons in science up on top of the hill be turned into actual prepara- 
tion for a life of productive enterprise down on the waterfront? Let 
the schools answer. 

Real beginnings have been made in the work in domestic science 
and manual training, but these exist at present not so much as means 
of contact with the life of the community, but as formal school sub- 
jects. The fate of such formal subjects is well known. They are 
likely to become lifeless and meaningless. They must be developed 
into actual lines of industry, leading beyond class room exercises into 
home life and industry. 

This development however, must be a real cooperative enterprise 
between the school forces and the social forces of the community. In 
order to make this clear, an illustration will be given. There has 
been some agitation in the past year in the direction of developing 
school gardens. This has been partly in the school and partly out- 



108 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

side of the school. But it is difficult to say what advantage will 
be gained from the development of school gardens if they are to 
remain as purely school enterprises. It has already been suggested in 
a previous chapter that agriculture should receive a larger atten- 
tion by the citizens and educational leaders of Port Townsend. It 
has also been pointed out that the school needs to make closer contact 
with the various industries of the community. How could school 
gardens be used to bring all these factors together? 

Training in a school garden should have a real motive, not an 
artificial one. That is to say, such training should look ahead to the 
actual development of farmers or gardeners on the one hand, or to 
the development of a product that can actually enter into business 
life on the other. Such tendencies will not destroy the cultural values 
of the work; they will give life to it. The development of school 
gardens should be undertaken as a cooperative enterprise between the 
schools with their intellectual interests, and the social and com-- 
mercial interests of the community. It would be possible for a 
garden club to develop a canning industry, using the products of their 
garden, having a marketing brand of their own and putting this product 
on the market. But this would require real cooperation on the part 
of the commercial interests of the community. Or, it would be pos- 
sible for the garden work to become real training for the life of a farm- 
er provided there were enough sympathy with that life in the com- 
munity at large to induce boys and girls to take it seriously. In either 
case, the motive for the work in the school garden would be real 
and the training secured would be genuine. But a school garden 
started merely as an annex to present school activities would probably 
become very meaningless. This, however, gives an excellent illustra- 
tion of the possibilities in the way of cooperation between school, 
home, business and life-career as a means of developing both educa- 
tional interests and community life. 

Other lines of possible vocational re-direction of education in 
Port Townsend will readily occur to those who will look carefully 
over the possible industrial development in the city. 

Another phase of this larger social problem is found in the pro- 
vision or rather lack of provision, which the community has made 
for the normal development of the social, recreational and amuse- 
ment demands of the people, especially the young people. If this 
question is to be taken up seriously, it might be well to return to 
some negotiations that were undertaken some years ago and not 
completed. How readily children respond to the influences of the 
world about them. They are as clay in the hands of the community. 
They are molded by the forces of life; they are developed by the 
chances to live; they are destroyed by the lack of opportunity. The 
responsibility of the community is plain. What is the reply.'' 

That is also immediate: "We are willing to do anything needful 
for the larger life of the community, — especially for the children, 
but we are now doing all we can afford to do, — we are paying in 



THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 109 

taxes all we can afford to pay." That is probably true. But what 
of the new wealth that might be developed? 

It is at this point that the real problem of cooperation between 
school and community comes most vividly to view. The school wants 
more money for the development of its educational program. Where 
that money is to come from is no concern of the school's, ordinarily. 
On the other hand, the community wants the very best educational re- 
sults obtainable anywhere. How those results are to be secured is no 
particular concern of the community's, ordinarily. Yet in the long 
run results must be paid for ; better teaching must be secured ; and the 
two items come to the same end: there must be more money. 

Again, community life cannot exist in a sort of social vacuum. 
Nor can education go on within the bare walls of a formal school 
room. That community is the best educational institution in which 
the normal industrial, commercial, professional, agricultural and 
domestic interests are sustained at a real pitch of interest and in- 
tensity. Such a community stimulates its children to real activities ; 
it provides them with opportunities for learning; it calls to them to 
prepare for the active affairs of the world; it helps them to sense the 
significance of life by actual presentation of life itself under manifold 
forms of activity; and it opens to them the gates of life, and shows 
them the fair fields of Opportunity waiting for those who care to 
prepare for such opportunities. 

These two great facts are correlative: the community wants a 
better system of education, but cannot afford it; the community needs 
more industrial interests, activity and opportunity. The development 
of the latter will bring about a larger wealth, thus bringing into the 
community use more money for community purposes without raising 
the tax rates. The schools benefit: they get the money they need, and 
they get the new stimulus, the new sense of activity from the more 
stirring life of the world without the walls. The community benefits : 
it gets the larger wealth, and with it the larger culture which the 
fuller resources can provide. Above all it gets the sense of a new life 
in its blood, new impulses throbbing through every nerve, new hopes, 
now solidly founded, rising before its very eyes. 

But the schools must learn how to be unafraid of business, work, 
activity, life. And business must learn how to be unafraid of the 
intelligence that is hinted at in the books. If these two results could 
be achieved; if industry and knowledge could return to their old re- 
lationships, and become acquainted once again; if they could enter 
into full cooperative partnership in the development of community life, 
bringing into ever fuller development the community resources of both 
economic wealth and intellectual and moral energy: what results 
might we not achieve in the development of all that our hopes call for ! 



110 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

Appendix 
THE BLAINE SURVEY 

A SUMMARY OF RESUL.TS 

Elementary Schools 

1 . Ten windows cut in building to remedy the dark condition of 
the rooms. Stove in first primary room placed between win- 
dows, thus solving the light problem there. 

2. Platforms around rooms (to enable children to reach black- 
boards, but taking up too much room) removed and black- 
boards dropped down lower. Teacher's desk then placed in 
front of room and pupils recite in front. 

3. All closets opening into halls and formerly used by janitors and 
as rubbish rooms were remodeled by removing partition between 
them and inside wardrobes, thus making larger wardrobes open- 
ing directly into halls. This helped to solve light and ventila- 
tion problem, as well as giving more room. All mops, pails, 
rubbish, etc., removed to a janitor's room outside for lack of 
suitable place inside. 

4. All writing, marking, drawings, etc., which defaced walls were 
removed by soap and water, paint and calcimine. Walls have 
been kept free from these. 

5. All doors have been made to swing outward, in compliance with 
proper fire protection regulations. 

6. Woodwork in halls and vestibules were painted. (The build- 
ings in general need painting, but in view of prospect for new 
buildings this was not attended to.) 

7. All outbuildings were painted on inside. Vulgar writing and 
pictures removed where carved. Screens provided at entrances 
as suggested. 

8. Walks were built where needed. 

9. Old broken seats and other discarded furniture and supplies 
removed from building or destroyed. 

10. Ten supply cases built with shelves and drawers for use of 
teachers. 

11. Two hundred and forty desks planed and scraped to remove 
carvings and defacements. The planing and scraping was all 

done by pupils. This varnishing was then done by a painter. 
The pupils are so proud of having done this that there is little 
probability of the damage recurring. 

12. Playgrounds cleaned up and kept clean. 

13. Triplicate requisition system for buying supplies introduced. 



APPENDIX 111 

14. Old doors replaced with new. 

15. Varicolored window panes removed and replaced with kind of 

glass suggested. 

16. Forty-five seats so high that children's feet dangled from three 
to four inches from the floor, replaced by seats of proper size. 
One room, second grade, found with seats ranging from number 
6 to number 2 reseated with seats of uniform size. 

17. Seating arrangement in several rooms changed to secure proper 
lighting arrangements. 

18. Old manual training building at the South Ward remodeled and 
used as grade room. 

19. Record books furnished each teacher for keeping a record of 
all damage done by pupils to books belonging to the district, 
together with the amount of fine assessed for such damage. 
Text-books inspected every three months. 

20. One extra teacher provided for grades. 

21. New sanitary drinking fountains and lavatories installed in- 
stead of old sinks and faucets that were formerly in halls. 

22. Sanitary paper towels and soap dispensers installed. 

23. Card index system for keeping school life history of each 
pupil installed. Jogger boxes for this purpose furnished for 
each room and complete files for superintendent's office. 

24. Typewritten course of study issued by present superintendent 
during last summer vacation placed in hands of teachers for 
guidance during this year. 

25. Manuscript for printed course of study now being prepared. 

26 . Uniform text-books placed in use in corresponding grades during 
this year. Text-books will be made uniform in adoptions now 
being made for next three years. This provision of the law 
has been disregarded during the past. 

27 . All teachers required to teach certain hours and not permitted to 
dismiss at pleasure. 

28. More satisfactory adjustment of time given to various subjects 
and State Course of study carefully followed. 

High School 

29. One teacher eliminated from the High School. 

30. All woodwork of High School gone over with oil, etc. 

31. Door cut into boys' wardrobe and transom provided for light 

and ventilation. 

32 . Teachers required to carefully supervise building at noon. 

33. Superintendent's office calsomined, woodwork varnished, pictures 
hung on walls, lamp provided for night work, 

34. Writing, drawing, etc., removed from high school walls. 



112 SURVEY OF PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOLS 

35. Window cut into 7th grade room to admit light for front of 

room and blackboard. 

36. Seating arrangement in eighth grade room changed to avoid the 
necessity of pupils facing windows. 

37. One of rooms formerly used by domestic science department 
given over to use of English department. 

38. Athletics put on ethical basis. Scholastic requirements made, 
and adhered to. 

39. High school teacher not allowed to change text books at will. 

40. Double laboratory periods required for Home Economics depart- 
ment in order to comply with state requirements. 

41. High School courses limited to four, viz.: Classical, Scientific, 
Special and Commercial. 

42 . Banisters provided for stairway leading to upper story. 

43. Large wood-house on high school grounds remodeled for manual 

training, thus avoiding a great number of pupils going from 
High School building over to south ward for this work. 

44. Light placed in girls' toilet. Maze glass also placed in wall to 
admit light. 

45 . Toilets painted and kept free from all writing and marking. 

46. Walk leading to boys' toilet built. 

47. Table arm chairs to number of 200 planed, scraped and var- 
nished. 

48. Incidental results: Much better atmosphere created. Greater 
cooperation between parents and teachers. Splendid High 
School spirit, and response to requests and requirements made 
upon the students by the teachers. 



Publications 

of 

The Extension Division 



UNIVERSITY EXTENSION JOURNAL. A qnarterly magazine for publlah- 
Ing material of public interest, extension material, and for keeping 
the University in communication vrith its fvidening constituency. The 
Journal is sent to public libraries, high school libraries, and many 
other places where It will be accessible to the public. Four numbers 
have been issued. Price ten cents a copy. Features of the first number 
(January, 1914) were "Seaport Studies," by Charles B. Fowler; of the 
second number (April, 1014) articles on public health and sanitation by 
Professor E. J. McCaustlnnd and others; of the third (July, 1914) "A 
Survey of the Blaine Puljlic Schools" by Professor Herbert G. liuH and 
others; and of the fourth articles describing in detail the Trork of the 
Extension Division. 

ADMINISTRATIVE BUIiL.ETINS 

PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT. The first publication of the Extension 
Division. Beginnings, purposes, and plans. No. 1. Pp. 46. (Out of 
print.) 

DEPARTMENT OP INSTRUCTION. Revised statement of scope and method 
of w^ork and courses of study offered by the Extension Division. Pub- 
lished November, 1912. No. 5. Pp. 36. (Out of print.) 

ADMINISTRATIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS of the Extension Division are noTV 
made in Circulars of Information, of which there are now in use the 
folIOTTing: General Circular, Bureau of Municipal and Legislative Re- 
search, Bureau of Lectures, Bureau of Debate and Discussion, General 
Information of Department of Instruction, and circulars describing the 
Extension work in English, Forestry, Home Economics, Journalism and 
Printing. 

DEBATING BULLETINS 

A MANUAL FOR DEBATERS. Designed for practical, everyday use by 
debaters and debating orgnnixntions. Treats of the value of debating, 
organization for debating, and the principles of debating. Appendix 
contains a list of propositions for debate and a blbllog^raphy of debate. 
No. 8. Pp. 81. Price, 15 cents. 

STATE ROADS AND PERMANENT HIGHVl^AYS. No. 3. Pp. 16. 

THE RECALL OF JUDGES. No. 4. Pp. 16. 

THE SINGLE TAX. No. 6. Pp. 16. 

IMMIGRATION. No. 9. Pp. 20. 

TAXATION OP LAND VALUES, a bibliography. 

GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP OP TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE. No. 14. 
Pp. 16. 

JOURNALISM 

THE MAKING OF A NEWSPAPER. Addresses at the first newspaper in- 
stitute of the University, January, 1913. No. 7. Pp. 120. Price, 25 cents. 

THE BETTER NEWSPAPER. Addresses and discussions at the second 
newspaper Institute at the University, January, 1914. No. 10. Pp. 181. 
Price, 30 cents. 

NEWSPAPER PRODUCTION. Addresses and discussions at the third news- 
paper institute at the University, January, 1915. No. 15. Price, 25 cents. 
These three publications are valuable practical manuals of newspaper 
work, from the experience of many men. 

SUPPLEMENTARY LECTURES IN JOURNALISM. Addresses on various 
phases of newspaper work by active ncTTspaper men before the De- 
partment of Journalism, 1913-1914. No. 11. Pp. 83. Price, 25 cents. 

SUPPLEMENTARY LECTURES IN JOURNALISM. Addresses on various 
phases of newspaper work by active newspaper men before the De- 
partment of Journalism, 1914-1915. No. 16. Pp. 122. Price, 25 cents. 

OTHER BULLETINS 

THE SOCIAL AND CIVIC CENTER. A brief explanation and outline of the 
Social center idea and method; with references. No. 2. Pp. 12. 

TAXATION IN W^ASHINGTON. Papers and discussions at the tax confer- 
ence at the University, May, 1914. Price, 50 cents. 

A SURVEY OF THE PORT TOWNSEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, by Professor 
Herbert G. Lull and others. August, 1915. No. 17. Pp. 112. 

Any of these publications, not out of print, may be obtained by any 
one in the State of Washington without charge, except where a price Is 
indicated, on request to the Director, Extension Division, University of 
Wasliington, Seattle. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



022 116 979 7 



University of Wasmngton 

Founded in 1861 

The university is a part of the system of public education of the state 
ot Washington. It is located on a campus of three hundred and fifty-fiye 
acres lying between Lakes Union and Washington in the city of Seattle. 

Its organization comprises the following colleges, schools, and di- 
Tiaiona: 

THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS 

THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE 

THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 

THE COLLEGE OF MINES 

THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY 

THE SCHOOL OF LAW 

THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION 

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL 

THE DIVISION OF FINE ARTS 

THE EXTENSION DIVISION 

THE PUGET SOUND MARINE STATION (in cooperation with 
other infititutions) 

THE SUMMER SESSION 



Requests for bulletins relating to any of these colleges, schools, or 
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